Having recently got hold of GlaxoSmithKline's gene therapy assets, Orchard has completed another whopping financing which has got observers thinking that an IPO could soon be in the offing.

An under pressure US business dented Lupin in Q1, with a recovery seen only in the second half of FY19 as new generic products roll out. A ramp-up in on-market products like Solosec in the US and a smooth run to launch for biosimilar Enbrel in Japan and the EU, among other products, could be vital to restore momentum for the Indian firm.

Vernalis' decision to switch strategy and enter the US cough-cold market backfired spectacularly and acquirer Ligand is getting hold of what once was a jewel in the UK biotech crown for next to nothing.

As others shun anti-infectives, Evotec is consolidating its position. Through an alliance with Sanofi it is evaluating new anti-infectives in three areas, and expects soon to advance its first candidate therapeutic into the clinic.

The London-headquartered firm believes that its efficient control of costs and strong data in support of its investigational treatments for rare respiratory, bone and endocrine diseases will attract investors across the Atlantic once it decides to refile for a listing on the Nasdaq.

Novel asthma/COPD drugs, including GlaxoSmithKline’s biologic therapy Nucala, are on the horizon in India, set to expand treatment options in the competitive segment. But pricing is expected to be key in pushing uptake, and health care delivery in asthma/COPD in India remains rather sub-optimal, notwithstanding the interest around new launches.

CEO Emma Walmsley’s plans to transform the leadership at GSK have advanced again with the appointment of HSBC's Iain Mackay as the firm's new chief financial officer.