The pending US FDA decision on Biogen’s drug overshadows progress in Alzheimer’s diagnosis, symptomatic treatments and the need to keep studying anti-tau therapies after Roche’s setback.

The latest breakthrough therapy designation announcements from the Pink Sheet’s US FDA Performance Tracker

Although there was no major acquisition starting out the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, the deal-making flow has been steady. Pfizer licensed a neurodegenerative disease candidate to Biogen, while also selling Axsome rights to reboxetine in narcolepsy and fibromyalgia. Biogen signed a neurology R&D collaboration with CAMP4 as well.

The firm reorganized to focus on hemoglobinopathies and cancers after Celgene ended a multi-drug partnership. Also, Flagship funds a gene therapy start-up and brings in a business development veteran, Ultragenyx raises $320m in a royalty deal and Paratek secures up to $285m from BARDA.