Private equity firm Sycamore Partners reportedly is in talks to sell British pharmacy chain Boots to part of the billionaire Weston family for around $9 billion (including debt).
Why it matters: Sycamore isn't wasting any time breaking up the Walgreens Boots Alliance, believing that it's worth less than the sum of its parts.
China is making it clear that it wants to become a powerhouse on par with large Western pharmaceutical companies in the near future, and not just strike licensing deals for promising new drug candidates.
Why it matters: Some experts warn that big drug companies are prioritizing the short-term benefits of partnering with Chinese biotechs over the longer-term risk of China usurping the U.S. as the world's biopharmaceutical superpower.
The Trump administration on Wednesday is launching an effort to reimagine the way clinical trials are designed, with a goal of drastically reducing the time and money it takes to develop new drugs.
Why it matters: The program, shared first with Axios, could provide a template for reconfiguring the drug development process and boosting U.S. competitiveness in the global biotech race.
