STAT+: Four major biotech updates to catch up on

STAT PlusNewsletterThe Readout Four major biotech updates to catch up on Anthropic CEO talks drug discovery, Medicare proposes steep 340B drug payment cuts, and more biotech news Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Meghana KeshavanJuly 6, 2026 Biotech Correspondent Meghana Keshavan[email protected]Meghana Keshavan covers biotech and contributes to The Readout newsletter. Happy post-fourth. Hope you had a nice extended weekend, and hi from San Francisco! Today, we’re reading about Medicare proposing staggering cuts to 340B payments, Republicans moving to preserve diversity in clinical trials, and a former surgeon general, Jerome Adams, offering counsel on peptides regulation.Advertisement The need-to-know this morning Novartis is buying the privately held Myricx Bio for $1.1 billion upfront, picking up an antibody-drug conjugate platform designed to create cancer-fighting drugs for different solid tumors and overcome some of the limitations of existing ADCs. The deal for the U.K.-based Myricx includes milestone payments of up to $400 million and extends Novartis’ recent acquisition spree. Anthropic CEO understands biology’s stubborn limitations Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is tempering his own bold predictions about AI transforming biotechnology, STAT’s Matt Herper writes. While, sure, AI could eventually compress decades of scientific progress into years, biology’s inherent complexity and glacial timelines mean that future remains years away. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In biotechnology, drug development, Drug prices, research Submit a correction requestReprints Meghana Keshavan Biotech Correspondent Meghana Keshavan covers biotech and contributes to The Readout newsletter. Newsletter Your morning rundown of the science, politics, and money driving biotech today Recommended Politics July 6, 2026 STAT Plus: GOP lawmakers push Trump’s FDA to make sure clinical trials are diverse Matt's Take July 6, 2026 STAT Plus: I spoke to Anthropic’s CEO about how AI may affect biotech. Here’s what I learned Advertisement D.C. Diagnosis July 2, 2026 STAT Plus: What does DeGette’s loss mean for pharma? The Readout July 2, 2026 STAT Plus: Roche drug sets new standard for KRAS-driven lung cancer Adam's Biotech Scorecard July 2, 2026 STAT Plus: Halfway into the year, biotech is booming Subscriber Picks