The Federal Trade Commission broke new ground last year in its opposition to M&A transactions and challenge of Orange Book patent listings. The biopharma community is waiting to see if deals will face similar hurdles in 2024 and whether there will be legal battles if manufacturers of drug-device combination products decline to delist their patents. Researchers advocate that the FTC extend its inquiry to device patents on GLP-1 receptor agonists, including Wegovy and Ozempic.

The Federal Trade Commission blocked or restricted several deals last year, broadening what it considers to be anticompetitive transactions. Stakeholders are looking to see if the agency will bring similar cases this year and what remedies it will seek to allow deals to go forward.

This week, Illumina responded to the European Commission’s order for it to divest Grail; StrokeDX won a global innovation competition; and the US Food and Drug Administration approved expanded labeling for Boston Scientific’s WaveWriter Alpha to include painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Restructuring Edition: Biogen and Sana add to their layoff totals. Exscientia announced R&D program cuts while Syros, PTC, AM-Pharma, Societal CDMO, Nighthawk and Kinnate revealed layoffs to conserve cash. Also, Impel is exploring strategic options and Applied Molecular Transport will disappear in a merger with Cyclo.