Welcome to the Weekly Rundown where the DDN editors cover this week’s top biotech and pharma news.
Hantavirus outbreak puts spotlight on antiviral drug discovery gaps
A cluster of hantavirus infections aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius drew global attention this week. The outbreak has been linked to the Andes strain — the only known hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission — with five confirmed cases and three deaths reported as of May 6. No licensed antiviral treatment or vaccine currently exists; supportive care focused on managing respiratory, cardiac, and kidney complications remains the standard clinical response. For drug discovery researchers, the outbreak highlights a gap in the antiviral pipeline for emerging and neglected pathogens. Candidate compounds and monoclonal antibodies have shown early promise in preclinical settings, and RNA interference approaches are drawing growing interest — but none have cleared the bar for regulatory approval. – Andrea Corona
Thousands of hidden proteins could reveal new drug targets
Scientists have identified more than 1,700 previously hidden protein-like molecules encoded within overlooked regions of human DNA, uncovering what researchers describe as a vast new layer of biology within the “dark proteome” that could reshape understanding of cancer and other diseases. In a study published in Nature, an international team analyzed 3.7 billion protein data points from nearly 100,000 experiments and found that around a quarter of previously understudied genetic regions produced tiny protein-like molecules known as microproteins. Because most did not resemble conventional proteins, researchers proposed a new biological category called peptideins to describe molecules that exist in cells like proteins but whose functions remain unclear. Early experiments suggest some peptideins may play critical roles in cancer biology. For example, using CRISPR screening, researchers identified several that cancer cells depend on for survival, including one linked to cell division and DNA damage repair that impaired survival across most tested cancer cell lines when switched off. The team said many peptideins also appear on cell surfaces and could become targets for cancer immunotherapies and vaccines, opening what researchers described in the press release as a “vast and fertile new territory” for drug discovery and disease research. – Bree Foster
FDA rolls out major upgrade to internal AI tool
On Wednesday, the FDA announced the launch of Elsa 4.0, an upgraded version of the AI tool built within the FedRAMP High Secure Google Cloud Platform that the agency first rolled out in June 2025. The new upgrades served to consolidate more than 40 separate application/submissions systems across all FDA centers into a new platform called Harmonized AI & Lifecycle Operations for Data (HALO) and include an optimized search engine for large document repositories, document generation, and quantitative data analysis and visualization. “Previously, FDA staff would bring data to Elsa. Now, Elsa sits on top of our data … Integrating AI into our workflows is an urgent priority that will allow us to rapidly advance regulatory science and deliver more cures and meaningful treatments to patients faster,” said Jeremy Walsh, Chief AI Officer in the statement. – Allison Whitten
Lilly opens its first dedicated genetic medicine facility
Eli Lilly this week opened Lilly Lebanon Advanced Therapies in Lebanon, Indiana, its first facility dedicated entirely to genetic medicine manufacturing, and announced an additional $4.5 billion investment across two of its three planned Lebanon sites, bringing its total Indiana capital commitments since 2020 to more than $21 billion. The new facility is designed to support both clinical and commercial production of genetic medicines across a full spectrum of modalities, with manufacturing processes built largely from scratch given the lack of established commercial precedent in the space. A second Lebanon site, Lilly Lebanon API, is slated to open in 2027 and is expected to become the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient production facility in US history. The expanded investment also adds planned production of Foundayo (orforglipron), the company's recently approved once-daily oral weight-loss pill, and retatrutide, an investigational triple hormone receptor agonist in late-stage development. For the broader industry, the scale of Lilly's domestic buildout — more than $50 billion in US manufacturing commitments since 2020 — reflects both the commercial momentum behind its obesity and diabetes portfolio and a strategic bet that genetic medicines will require dedicated, purpose-built infrastructure to manufacture at scale. – Andrea Corona
GSK targets visceral fat in new $1 billion deal
GSK is expanding its push into cardiometabolic disease through a deal worth up to $1 billion with Chinese biotech SiranBio for rights to the obesity candidate SA030 outside Greater China. The injectable therapy targets activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7), a protein linked to reducing visceral fat while preserving lean muscle mass — an increasingly sought-after goal in next-generation obesity treatments. SiranBio will receive $55 million upfront and could earn milestone payments and royalties if the drug reaches market. SA030 is currently being tested in people who are overweight or obese in an Australian Phase 1 trial, with GSK planning to explore the candidate in broader cardiometabolic conditions affecting the liver, kidney, and lungs rather than as a standalone weight-loss therapy. The agreement adds to a growing wave of deals focused on weight loss and small interfering RNA therapies across the pharmaceutical industry, while also extending GSK’s recent streak of partnerships with Chinese biotechs. – Bree Foster
Cytokinetics reports positive topline results for heart drug
In the Phase 3 ACACIA-HCM trial, Cytokinetics’ heart drug for adults with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) was shown to significantly improve peak oxygen consumption and scores on a heart health assessment after 36 weeks compared to placebo. The drug, Myqorzo, is a cardiac myosin inhibitor approved by the FDA last year to treat symptomatic obstructive HCM. The drug works by blocking overactive myosin proteins to reduce forceful heart contractions. “Patients with non-obstructive HCM have no therapies approved to treat the underlying hypercontractility associated with the disease. We hope that will change with ACACIA-HCM which is the first clinical trial to demonstrate statistically significant improvements in exercise capacity and symptom burden in patients with non-obstructive HCM,” said Fady Malik, Cytokinetics’ Executive Vice President of Research & Development in the press release. – Allison Whitten
