Global Scans · Pharmaceuticals · Weekly Summary

• [New] The Great Healthcare Plan will slash prescription drug prices, reduce insurance premiums, hold big insurance companies accountable, and maximize price transparency in the American healthcare system. Healthcare Dive
• [New] As pharmaceutical production continues to scale globally, aseptic packaging will remain a vital solution ensuring patient safety, regulatory compliance, and extended product stability across international distribution channels. openpr
• [New] High interest in drug development for oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, are expected to continue in 2026, in addition to modalities such as antibody drug conjugates, radiopharmaceuticals and multi-specific antibodies. Pharmaceutical Technology
• [New] Price controls will cut prescription drug prices 57% to 75% among the most expensive 250 drugs that form the base of U.S. profits. Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship
• [New] Understanding whether biosimilar competition lowers OOP spending for patients with Medicare may offer insights into whether competition has improved access to biologic medications, which could lead to improved adherence and patient outcomes. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] FDA's focus on drug pricing may bring opportunities for manufacturers that have room to negotiate and want to gain a regulatory advantage. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP
• [New] AI takes center stage in drug development: In 2026, AI will shift from a supportive role to an essential, integrated part of drug creation. Pubs - Bio-IT World
• [New] 2026 will feel less like a slow-pipelines world and more like a smart-pipelines world: In 2026, expect the transformation of drug development from a predominantly human-driven, sequential process into a continuously learning, agentic-AI-supported pipeline. Pubs - Bio-IT World
• [New] Agentic AI systems will compress drug development timelines from over a decade to mere months, whilst the World Economic Forum projects that biology-computation convergence will add $4 trillion in value creation. Blue Ocean Media
• [New] Eli Lilly expects an FDA approval in March for oral orforglipron, which the FDA already tapped for its new National Priority Voucher program to speed drug approvals. PharmaVOICE
• [New] In 2026, the FDA's Project Optimus initiative will become the expected standard for dose optimization in oncology drug development. PharmaVOICE
• [New] After years of overpromising, 2026 will be the first cycle in which AI-native drug discovery platforms deliver clinically meaningful inflection points, not just computational milestones. PharmaVOICE
• [New] AI and other new technologies are expected to transform healthcare in 2026, driving advances in diagnostics, drug development, and workload reduction for healthcare professionals. Euronews
• [New] Medicare drug price negotiation will benefit patients with common diseases such as diabetes, cancer, respiratory conditions, or cardiovascular disease. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The pharmaceutical sector is facing policy pressures, patent expirations and tariff issues in 2026, but AI and other tech developments offer growth potential. Investing News Network (INN)
• [New] The strategic active pharmaceutical ingredients reserve was established to create a national stockpile of APIs for essential medicines, aiming to insulate the U.S. from foreign supply chain disruptions and reduce dependence on other countries for critical inputs. Precedence Research
• [New] 2026 will mark a new chapter in CNS drug development. PharmaVOICE
• [New] Merck & Co.'s oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide is another pill form of a currently available injection that could drive uptake for an entire drug category. PharmaVOICE
• [New] Merck & Co's Keytruda is forecast to remain in its position as the top-selling drug brand in 2026, achievable only with the addition of a new subcutaneously administered formulation of the cancer blockbuster. PharmiWeb.com
• [New] Brand name drug maker GSK is expected to increase prices on around 20 drugs and vaccines, with price increases ranging from 2% to 8.9%. CSRxP
• [New] By 2032, algae omega-3 ingredients will be firmly embedded in global nutrition, pharmaceutical, and sustainable food systems. Cision PR Newswire

Last updated: 20 January 2026