The US FDA approved Leqvelsi for alopecia areata, making it the third drug in the class for the indication after Lilly’s Olumiant and Pfizer’s Litfulo.

McKinsey & Company’s senior partner and lead, life sciences practice (Asia), talks to Scrip about innovation niches that could interest Indian firms including the ADC space, using AI to increase confidence in research activities and how India could leverage big pharma’s expanding global capability centres (GCCs) to shape the wider R&D ecosystem.

In its Q2 earnings call, the biotech expressed optimism about developing VK2735 as a monthly injection, with an oral version moving into Phase II. An EOP2 meeting for its MASH drug is expected in Q4.

Roche is taking a more hard-nosed approach to portfolio prioritization, and said in its Q2 call that it believes it can move faster with a more slimmed down R&D pipeline.