Episode 164 - November 21, 2025

On week’s episode, Eric Schmidt, Yaron Werber, Tess Cameron, and Sam Fazeli kick off with biotech M&A news, including Alkermes’ $2.37 billion offer for Avadel, following Lundbeck’s surprise bid. Next, the co-hosts discuss J&J’s $3.05 billion cash acquisition of Halda - the highest-priced deal for a company at this stage. The group also covers Merck’s acquisition of Cidara Therapeutics to strengthen its antiviral pipeline. They debate whether biotech M&A is becoming more competitive, what big pharma is prioritizing, and the role M&A is playing in the current biotech rally. The conversation then shifts to Washington policy news, including the CDC website updates suggesting vaccines haven’t been proven not to cause autism, alleged tensions between RFK Jr. and Dr. Marty Makary over FDA leadership authority and management-style concerns Next, in regulatory news, the co-hosts overview the FDA’s approval of Arrowhead’s Redemplo for FCAS, priced at $60K, and its competition with Ionis’ Tryngolza. Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide price cut and conversations on drug pricing trends and the impact on competition are also mentioned. The episode concludes with an overview of Zymeworks positive data and shifting in business model, Nuvalent’s positive data and $500 million raise, and Olema’s stock price increase and raise on the back of Roche’s breast cancer data. *This episode aired on November 21, 2025.