Pharma Pulse 5/5/25: Deerfield Secures More than $600 Million for Next Biotech Venture Fund; What is The Hardest Job in Biopharma?

Deerfield secures more than $600M for its next biotech venture fund

Deerfield Management has raised over $600 million for its third biotech venture fund to invest in early-stage healthcare companies, leveraging its NYC-based Cure campus and academic partnerships amid a broader industry shift toward larger, more selective funding rounds.

The Hardest Job in Biopharma? The Vice President of Market Access

In an in-depth Pharmaceutical Executive feature, the role of the VP of market access is described as the most demanding in biopharma, requiring nonstop crisis management, cross-functional leadership, payer negotiation, and regulatory agility—all amid mounting pressures from internal stakeholders, payers, policymakers, and an increasingly unpredictable healthcare landscape.

Data Advancements in Oncology Clinical Research

In a recent Applied Clinical Trials interview, C.K. Wang, MD, chief medical officer at COTA, emphasized the transformative potential of real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE) in oncology research. Wang advocates for the integration of RWD and RWE across the drug development life cycle and highlights their role in empowering cancer patients through more personalized, informed treatment decisions.
Vertex discontinues AAV research for gene therapies

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has exited AAV-based gene therapy development amid broader industry pullbacks, while reaffirming its commitment to other cell and genetic therapy programs.

Tariffs, Tensions, and Transformation: Pharmacy at a Crossroads

Amid shifting vaccine policies, looming drug tariffs, and federal funding cuts, clinical pharmacy professor Jacinda Abdul-Mutakabbir, PharmD, MPH, discusses with Pharmacy Times how she and her team are adapting to preserve public health access, foster innovation, and reimagine community-based pharmacy care.