When Vera Therapeutics in-licensed atacicept from Merck KGaA about six years ago, patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) had no FDA-approved treatment options. Today, the dual-target drug has crossed the regulatory finish line but is entering a vastly different landscape as the sixth drug approved for the rare kidney disease.

Novartis is executing more layoffs at its U.S. headquarters in East Hanover, New Jersey, handing 322 employees pink slips. The cuts will go into effect by Oct. 2, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act filing with the Garden State.

As Bristol Myers Squibb attempts to convert two accelerated oncology nods for Krazati into traditional FDA approvals, the company has detailed what could be a major stumble in the KRAS G12C inhibitor’s smaller-opportunity indication of colorectal cancer.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has struck a $10 billion deal—its largest ever—to acquire endocrine disease specialist Crinetics Pharmaceuticals. The transaction’s two focuses, Palsonify and atumelnant, have combined peak sales potential of more than $5 billion, Vertex said.

While not on the same scale of some of Big Pharma’s major carveouts in recent years, the deal follows a noticeable pattern in which diversified drugmakers have simplified their structures to focus more on innovative medicines.

Healthcare comms and AI marketing firm Real Chemistry has set up its first Asia Pacific strategic hub in Singapore with the acquisition of Spurwing Communications.