Astellas’ chief strategy officer, Adam Pearson, talks to Scrip about the company’s launch execution thrust for key therapies ahead of the loss of exclusivity for Xtandi and also deal-making appetite and choices, including the Iveric Bio buyout and walking away from the collaboration with Cartesian Therapeutics.

Plus alliances involving Xyphos/Kelonia, Nippon Shinyaku/Vicor, Telix/QSAM, Nicox/Kowa, Kyowa Kirin/BridgeBio, as well as deals in brief.

MD Anderson teams with Eisbach on precision oncology and with Yingli on a five-year translational research effort. Moffitt inks tie-ups with Dyve and Turnstone.

Evolving challenges will keep the COVID-19 pipeline active, while oncology, immunology and CNS are areas also expected to see much progress in 2022. Industry executives look forward to the year in therapeutic R&D.