While Bharat Biotech is close to an accelerated approval of Covaxin in two to 18-year-olds, Zydus Cadila is yet to roll out its COVID-19 vaccine in India. As they head to a face-off in pediatric vaccines, the former faces manufacturing constraints and the latter hesitance over a first of its kind DNA vaccine. Experts speak to Scrip on which one stands a better chance of winning.

Novartis aims to build a leading role in multiple sclerosis by developing new agents now in Phase III, progressing promising early stage assets and by using new technologies to measure the disease.

The newly relocated biotech is shifting its focus from science to business development as it moves its third compound into the clinic and begins looking for partners for its other programs.

A series of recent and anticipated events is drawing attention to interleukin-17 and related cytokines – a set of immunological drug targets of long-standing interest to large and small companies. The current crop of big-company candidates are biologics and may prove too harsh for all but the most severe immunological conditions, leaving room for start-ups developing small molecules.