Associate Director

BMS's new anti-tumor drug has been approved for marketing; GSK and Acyclovir are advancing clinical trials of their new drugs. August 18, 2026 Source: drugdu 24 On August 13 local time, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) announced that the U.S. FDA has approved its innovative drug Iberdomide (Zenbexus) for marketing in combination with the standard treatment regimen (daratumumab + dexamethasone) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM) . According to the press release, Iberdomide is the first FDA -approved cereblon E3 ubiquitin ligase modulator (CELMoD) therapy. Iberdomide is the first product in BMS' CELMoD pipeline. Previously, the drug received Breakthrough Therapy Designation and Priority Review designation from the FDA for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. This approval is based on the results of the Phase III EXCALIBER-RRMM (NCT04975997) study. This was a Phase III, multicenter, two-stage, randomized, open-label study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Iberdomide plus daratumumab and dexamethasone (ZDd) regimen versus the daratumumab, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (DVd) regimen in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma ( MM) . In China, the marketing application for Iberdomide was accepted by the CDE in December 2025 and included in the priority review process. The indication is for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one line of prior therapy, in combination with daratumumab and dexamethasone. Approval is expected in Q4 of this year . On August 14, the official website of the Drug Clinical Trial Registration and Information Disclosure Platform showed that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) registered a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm study (ZENITH-2) evaluating the safety and tolerability of Efimosfermin alfa in participants with confirmed or suspected F2 or F3 stage metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) . Efimosfermin alfa, developed by Boston Scientific, is a potential best-in-class long-acting analogue of FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21), administered once monthly via subcutaneous injection. The product is designed to modulate key metabolic pathways to reduce liver fat, improve liver inflammation, and reverse liver fibrosis in MASH patients. In May of this year, GSK acquired the global development and commercialization rights to the product in a deal worth up to $ 2 billion, with an upfront payment of $ 1.2 billion. Aikebaifa's Class 1 new anti-influenza drug approved for clinical trials On August 13, Aike Baifa announced that its independently developed Class 1 new drug, AK0406 injection, has been approved by the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to conduct clinical trials for influenza prevention. According to the press release, this is the company's first long-acting anti-influenza drug - an Fc conjugate (AFC). AK0406 is an innovative long-acting antiviral drug independently developed by AikeBaifa. By precisely conjugating a highly active antiviral small molecule with an antibody Fc fragment, it achieves long-term prevention and potential therapeutic applications before or after influenza exposure, meeting clinical prevention needs during peak influenza seasons. Preclinical studies show that the drug possesses broad-spectrum, highly active, and long-acting antiviral properties, with comprehensive optimization in structural design, antiviral activity, pharmacokinetics, and production. In terms of international clinical development, AK0406 was approved by the Australian Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) in February this year to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial. Currently, the enrollment and dosing of all healthy adult subjects in Australia have been successfully completed, and the trial has entered the follow-up phase. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5MTcyMjYxMw==&mid=2651881222&idx=2&sn=8b91c350b421da6ccd3a63f1b746cb46&chksm=ts4ricb1ttqgmyaai571q2he8dsg66uenq9g800q4go11l8hrkst3ney20hgh3glkuhnoekxz3ro

GSK to establish R&D center on Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Published 8/18/2026 Cambridge, United Kingdom GSK is constructing a global research and development center on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in the United Kingdom. The £400 million project is being developed by Prologis and will span roughly 300,000 sf across three interconnected buildings on Discovery Drive. Designed by Scott Brownrigg, the complex will catalyze translational discoveries and accelerate medicine development through direct connections to a world-class ecosystem of biomedical research, patient care, and academia. The site will feature specialized infrastructure for core foci including oncology, respiratory studies, hepatology, vaccines, and HIV. Each six-story facility will offer leading-edge environments with a 60/40 lab-to-office ratio embedded in flexible layouts. The ground floor will house a double-height collaboration and gathering area, visible labs that put science on display, and amenity zones to promote employee wellbeing. Following a fabric-first approach, 2000 and 3000 Discovery Drive will target a rating of BREEAM Excellent. The all-electric structures will leverage multiple sustainability strategies, including aluminum louvers to optimize solar performance and a combined biosolar photovoltaic roof to generate energy while increasing biodiversity. At the heart of the complex, a green courtyard will sit atop a subterranean structure accommodating 450 bicycle parking spaces. Aiming to attain BREEAM Outstanding, 4000 Discovery Drive will be developed according to a low embodied carbon scheme while tracking performance against the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard. A façade that reduces solar gain will be complemented by comprehensive drainage strategies including rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse. Construction is currently underway on 2000 Discovery Drive, while the other two facilities remain in the planning stages. Participating firms include general contractor SDC Builders, MEP Engineer Hoare Lea, structural engineer Ramboll, and MEP contractor Briggs & Forester, as well as Buro Four, AECOM, BIMTech Engineering, and Bidwells. A phased occupancy is slated to take place in 2029. | Organization | Project Role | | Scott Brownrigg | Architect | | Prologis UK | Developer | | SDC Builders Ltd | General Contractor | | Hoare Lea | MEP Engineer | | Ramboll | Structural Engineer | | Briggs & Forester | MEP Contractor | | Buro Four | Project Manager & Owner's Representative | | AECOM | Cost Consultant | | BIMTech Engineering | BIM Services Provider | | Bidwells | Real Estate Advisor |

Moving at the speed of pharma digitalisation: driving ROI from AI and digital tools. Discover how GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda and more than 100 pharma leaders scale digital projects at AUTOMA+ 2026 in Switzerland. August 17, 2026 The budgets for pharma digitalisation continue to expand at a pace where operational reality is struggling to keep up. In just four years, AI spending will nearly triple to $11.12bn, up from $4.79bn in 2026. Yet these numbers don't tell the whole story. Looking at what's actually happening on the ground - 70% of digital projects are stalling and 89% of workflows are still trapped in spreadsheets. The industry is facing an "execution gap" that needs to be addressed before it gets even wider. The skill shortage becomes one of the main barriers that's holding pharma back from reaching digital excellence. Bridging this gap requires direct dialogue between those who build the tech and those who use it on the shop floor. Where is digital transformation becoming faster? AUTOMA+ 2026, the closed-door pharmaceutical automation and digitalisation congress, explores the pace of digital transformation across every stage of pharma operations. Each track addresses a specific challenging point where the gap between ambition and execution is the widest. The first and most visible area is Generative AI. According to a survey of senior biopharma leaders, 89% were unable to scale more than half of their AI initiatives, and only 5% of AI solutions made it beyond the pilot phase to production. The Executive Opening Panel "AI: Exploring New Frontiers, Facing New Challenges" at AUTOMA+ 2026 features cases that can help companies successfully integrate this technology. The speakers on the panel are discussing the relevant questions: collaboration models between humans and AI, the real risks of moving fast in the industry and the shift from treating AI as a novelty to adopting it as a standard tool. Among the presenters offering an answer is Scarletred - a global leader in standardised skin imaging and AI-powered skin analysis. Its CEO Harald Schnidar and business developer Avani Gupta show the real case on how they've moved beyond the "human vs machine" debate and how AI helped them to enhance human decision-making. The next area where digital excellence is needed is R&D. In many high-throughput lab environments, scientists still spend up to 10 hours per week manually processing experimental data. Saving that time is crucial for efficiency. That's why during AUTOMA+ 2026 participants are looking into predictive modelling and accelerating drug development from the lab bench to the clinic. Devendra Ridhurkar, CEO of RidNova Pharmaceuticals, is leading this conversation with AI/ML-driven smart formulation approaches that are actually working. Alongside him, Tobias Rosenkranz, director of AI and Digital Products at Merck Life Science, is sharing how predictive formulation is replacing the old trial-and-error approach that has been dominating for decades. Another blind spot for digitalisation is pharma supply chains as companies face internal resistance. A 2025 LogiPharma Report based on a survey of 100 senior leaders across Europe and North America revealed that 65% have limited confidence in using AI for supply chain resilience. Despite that cautiousness, digital tools can evidently help with disruptions. Big pharma company GSK has demonstrated this firsthand and shares its journey at AUTOMA+ 2026. Cedric Colon, Global Supply Chain Strategy Programme Management Global Process Owner at GSK, presents on the AI-powered transformation of pharma logistics, revealing how the company is building resilience through strategic digitalisation. Joining the speaker on the agenda is Takeda, bringing another successful case study. Aliz Cser (Global Process Expert - SC Performance) and Olga Drozdova (Supply Chain Associate Director) deliver a presentation on global supply chain data and digitalisation, examining data-driven decision-making as a tool reshaping pharma logistics. The industry dialogue as the implementation accelerator. Technology is only effective if the people operating it are qualified. Skills, governance and the willingness to share both failures and breakthroughs are what separate successful digital transformations from stalled investments. This is why AUTOMA+ focuses on quality of 1:1 networking. Every participant is carefully pre-vetted and holds genuine decision-making influence, ensuring that connections made on the first day move into actionable partnerships. The audience includes the full operational profile: top management, packaging and labeling specialists, manufacturing and plant experts, heads of technical departments (IT, SCADA, Excellence, Innovation, Maintenance), leading technical specialists and others from relevant sectors. By uniting diverse expertise and bridging the skill gap, AUTOMA+ creates the conditions under which the billions flowing into pharma digitalisation can finally deliver returns at scale. For leaders ready to move beyond spreadsheets and pilot projects, it is the event helping the future of pharma operations take shape. Give your business an edge with its leading industry insights.