For the first time in 61 years, China has reported its population is shrinking and the new demographic shift is likely to have a far-reaching impact on the pharma sector. Meanwhile, regulators have accelerated the approval of new COVID-19 drugs to relieve acute shortages.

The European Medicines Agency’s latest list of drugs under review for potential marketing approval includes a second generalized myasthenia gravis treatment from UCB and what could become the first biosimilar version of Stelara in the EU.

From being little known to sought after by millions, Pfizer’s oral antiviral Paxlovid is fast becoming the most pursued medicine in China, amid the largest outbreak of COVID-19 infections the world has yet seen.

US FDA’s novel agent count fell back to average as agency kept up high rate of complete response letters and refuse to file actions; CBER’s workload shifted to regenerative medicine.