
ACC 2023 – Esperion’s outcomes win looks lacklustre
A 13% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events is statistically significant but not spectacular.

Catalysts ahead for the smaller players
Calliditas heads for confirmatory data in IgA nephropathy, while Viking and 89Bio are set for key readouts in Nash.

Fortunes diverge for solo drug launchers
A solo drug launch is a testing time for a small company, made even tougher by the pandemic.

Big pharma spinouts grow up
Companies formed around unwanted big pharma assets have a mixed record, although some parents are better at finding spinouts than others.

Covid-19 adds a new danger to drug launches
Launch phase is a challenging time for drug developers, so consider the likes of Biohaven, Esperion and, most recently, Urogen, as they brave locked-down markets.