Mayzent is the first oral therapy proven to delay progression in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and Novartis pharma chief Paul Hudson tells Scrip its $88,500 list price will not affect access.

The Italian firm has some talking to do with the US FDA before it can unblind Phase III data on sarizotan, its Rett syndrome therapy which could be "potentially transformative" for Newron.

The French drugmaker is paying $2.5bn to get hold of THOR-707 which it claims has the potential to become the best-in-class IL-2 therapeutic for solid tumors, thanks to improved pharmacology and less frequent dosing.