Author name: Leonardo Arias

Applications in flow cytometry, cell sorting, target validation, and therapeutic discovery

With oral cyclic peptides offering small molecule convenience and antibody‑like selectivity, the modality is gaining momentum. But bioavailability below 1%, minimal PK data and fragile synthesis still slow progress. Viva Biotech’s experts outlined how hybrid synthesis, ADME/PK modeling and AI‑guided design are expanding what peptide therapeutics can reach.

A year to the day after the Trump administration slashed $500 million in funding from mRNA-based programs, the FDA approved Moderna’s flu vaccine based on the technology. Weeks later, Moderna and Merck revealed positive Phase 3 results for their personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine. In the words of one mRNA specialist, “science won.”

Following their blowout win in melanoma last month, Merck and Moderna are leading the way among a new crop of personalized cancer vaccines. Here are five companies with similar therapies hoping to break through where others have previously failed.

David Bailey has rejoined STAAR after participating in the successful campaign to block Alcon’s takeover of the company.  

Companies including Tempus AI and Updoc are tasked with building an agentic AI system for managing heart failure.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ policy update extends Medicare coverage to severe aortic stenosis patients without symptoms, a change that analysts said will especially benefit Edwards Lifesciences.

The funding could create a regulatory approval pathway for future applications of clinical-grade artificial intelligence.

A record number of hospitals are fully sharing data on the cost of their services, thanks to the CMS stepping up enforcement. But there’s still a ways to go, according to PatientRightsAdvocate.org.

CEO Mike Mahoney gave more details at a Thursday investor conference, saying the company likely lost orders while its plants and distribution centers were shut down.