FDA’s FIH plans. Plus: billion-dollar deals, funds — a BioCentury podcast

Gilead, Neurocrine bolt on biotechs; new funds from Blackstone, Jeito

A pathway proposed by FDA to cut the time it takes biopharma companies to get to first-in-human trials is more ambitious than similar policies in Australia, China and the U.K. On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury’s analysts assess the proposal, as well as a concession for the biopharma industry on first-in-human studies in PDUFA reauthorization negotiations with FDA.

The analysts also discuss the latest pair of billion-dollar biotech deals amid a recent uptick in M&A: the $3.15 billion Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) takeout of antibody-drug conjugate company Tubulis GmbH and the acquisition of Soleno Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SLNO) by  Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:NBIX) for $2.9 billion for its Prader-Willi asset.

Finally, BioCentury’s analysts discuss the new $6.3 billion Blackstone Life Sciences fund and the €1 billion ($1.2 billion) vehicle unveiled by European VC Jeito Capital last week.

This edition of the BioCentury This Week podcast was brought to you by IQVIA Biotech.