When a small biotech company acquires a failed drug from big pharma and plans to repeat the clinical studies expecting a positive result, is that not a definition of insanity?

Revenues are still elusive for a surprising number of the novel drugs approved by the FDA five years ago. Emergent safety issues and confirmatory clinical trial failures were less common than lack of competitiveness as the main reason for revenue weakness.

Pfizer will be active in business development, management said, but with a focus on building out the pipeline with bolt-on deals in the range of a "few billion." Gene therapy remains one area of interest.

This week's roundup includes a handful of promotions by Eli Lilly, and various board and high-level appointments by companies including Kiadis Pharma, Aeterna Zentaris, Dermavant Sciences and Pliant Therapeutics.