Takeda's acquisition of Shire fueled the company into a top 10 pharma company in the latest Scrip 100 rankings, as other mega-mergers are set to shape the leaderboard in the future. 

Given the ongoing election challenges in the US, China has yet to officially congratulate Joe Biden as the next US president, although many world leaders are already hailing a reset in US foreign policy. Many are wondering if this and other moves indicate a quiet internal shift for China's high tech and life sciences sectors, just days after Beijing concluded a high-level plenary meeting outlining its priorities for the next five years.

Missteps on convalescent plasma and the revoked authorization of hydroxychloroquine – paired with US president Trump’s cheerleading for the rapid approval of a COVID-19 vaccine – has eroded public trust in the US FDA. Can a safety and efficacy pledge from vaccine developers tamp down public skepticism?

Continuing parent firm Gilead’s busy deal-making year in immuno-oncology, Kite gets option rights to new targets. Boehringer teams with Israel’s BiomX in IBD research.