Japan has approved abortion drug mifepristone but will limit its use to clinics with authorized physicians, with strict nationwide monitoring of sales. The majority of more than 10,000 public comments around the approval were in support of the new option for women. 

Gilead has waived its option to acquire Pionyr, allowing the US biotech to explore other partnerships and financing opportunities as it advances a promising pipeline of macrophage-targeting antibodies.

Neuroscience and oncology fuel high hopes for therapeutic R&D progress among 90-plus surveyed biopharma industry leaders.

Data have shown that the Finnish firm's bexmarilimab has the potential to be the first macrophage immune checkpoint therapy and big pharma are getting interested in a licensing deal.