Top 10 Life Sciences Moments That Shaped 2024

To say that 2024 has been a rollercoaster would be an understatement! Living and breathing Life Sciences means we are continuously at the forefront of some of the most incredible breakthroughs in new medicines, medical devices, and drug development. As we all know, the process of getting a drug to the market can be tumultuous, albeit rewarding. We're incredibly proud to work in an industry that makes a tangible difference to those it impacts. 

So, rollercoasters aside, we've taken some time to reflect on 2024 and what our standout moments have been when looking at the industry as a whole. From Ozempic taking the literal world by storm, billion-dollar acquisitions, and new drugs coming to market, it was a tough call to pick our favorites. 

Here are our top 10 Life Sciences moments that shaped 2024.

10. Ozempic: World domination?

If you haven't heard about Ozempic yet, then you may have just missed one of the biggest drugs in 2024. Despite being created in 2017 by Novo Nordisk, Ozempic only started to get global recognition this year. Initially designed for Type 2 diabetes patients to stabilize blood sugar, it has quickly shape-shifted into being one of the most sought-after weight loss drugs due to its side effects when used. 

It's created a wider conversation extending beyond the Life Sciences industry on how safe this drug is, due to its easy accessibility in some parts of the world as well as celebrity endorsements such as Kathy Bates and Rebel Wilson. In fact, any drastic weight loss happening in the public eye has automatically been attributed to Ozempic. Ozempic has become an everyday buzzword within pop culture, to the point where memes and viral moments on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram circle back to the word. The long-term side effects of using the drug purely for weight loss are still unknown, and it'll be interesting to see how long Ozempic sticks around in 2025 and beyond.

9. Eli Lilly and Morphic Acquisition

August 2024 saw Eli Lily acquiring Morphic for a whopping $3.2 billion. The acquisition supported Eli Lilly's expansion within immunology and created more options for people living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Morphic developed an oral pill that aimed to lessen or eliminate symptoms. The drug was a promising step in the right direction, improving accessibility for patients - particularly those who were relying on injections, which are much more invasive.

"Acquiring Morphic reinforces our growing capabilities in gastroenterology, building on the strong foundation of Omvoh, our first-in-class molecule already approved and launched around the world for ulcerative colitis and under regulatory review for Crohn's disease. Further, the acquisition allows Lilly to research potential combination treatments that could better serve people beyond what is possible with currently available medicines."

8. Wegovy, is it better than Ozempic?

Wegovy is the current 'sister' of Ozempic and has had some considerable air-time, too. However, due to the complete explosion of Ozempic - which now extends beyond the drug and has solidified itself within pop culture - Wegovy has coasted smoothly under the radar, whilst still being a popular weight loss drug of choice. Unlike Ozempic, Wegovy is exclusively a weight loss drug used to aid or speed up current weight loss efforts. In some cases, it can be argued that it's safer than Ozempic (which is actually for Type 2 Diabetes patients!)

With slimmer figures now coming back into trend, time will only tell whether Wegovy gains further recognition. What do you think?

7. CRISPR Technology on the rise

CRISPR (short for "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats") is a technology that research scientists use to selectively modify the DNA of living organisms. So, why is it so popular in 2024? 

Casgevy was the first CRISPR-based therapy (for Sickle Cell) to be approved in late 2023. Achieving approval in 11 years was a "remarkable achievement" according to IGI Founder Jennifer Doudna. She highlighted that it's a win for medicine and health equity, and will hopefully encourage more CRISPR technology to make waves in 2025. Ongoing research is expanding the use of CRISPR beyond genetic diseases to include cancer treatments and infectious diseases, showcasing its versatility and potential to revolutionize medicine.

6. Donanemab (Kisunla) approval

Approved in July 2024, this drug targets early Alzheimer's disease by reducing amyloid plaques in the brain, offering a new option for slowing disease progression. Administered as a 30-minute IV infusion on a monthly basis, the results within patients have been incredible.

"Individuals treated with Kisunla who were less advanced in their disease showed a significant slowing of decline of 35% compared with placebo on the integrated Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (iADRS), which measures memory, thinking, and daily functioning." - Eli Lilly

 It is currently approved in the US, Great Britain, and Japan. It is currently in line for approval in the EU. It will be incredibly interesting to see how this drug will impact patients once it achieves global approval.

5. Cilta-cel approval

Despite gaining partial approval in 2022 (for patients who had received four or more prior lines of therapy), Cilta-cel gained more recognition this year and became available to patients who had received one prior line of therapy in April 2024. 

"Multiple myeloma is a cancer affecting plasma cells, a type of white blood cell. Currently, about 40% of people diagnosed with multiple myeloma do not survive five years, and the prognosis is poorest in patients who do not see their cancer eradicated with standard treatments (refractory) or who see their cancer return after an initial response (relapsed).

This new study focused on patients who had received treatment under the initial approval indication for heavily pre-treated patients. For the study, researchers retrospectively analyzed outcomes among 255 patients who began the process of receiving Cilta-cel in March through December 2022. The study participants had undergone a median of six prior lines of therapy – and up to 18 lines of therapy – without seeing a lasting response." - Hematology.org

4. Anzupgo (delgocitinib) approval

Skin conditions can be one of the most debilitating illnesses someone can have, and chronic Eczema is no exception. LEO Pharma were thrilled to announce in September 2024 that Anzupgo (a topical treatment) was approved for those who have moderate to severe Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE). 

"Anzupgo is a topical pan-JAK inhibitor for the treatment of moderate to severe CHE. It inhibits the activation of JAK-STAT signalling, which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of CHE.6 Currently, there are no other topical treatments specifically approved for adults with moderate to severe CHE for whom topical corticosteroids are inadequate or inappropriate." - LEO Pharma

It is currently awaiting FDA approval as Anzupgo is only valid in European Union Member States, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

3. Ixchiq (Chikungunya vaccine by Valneva) approval

Ixchiq is the first vaccine in Europe to prevent the Chikungunya virus, which causes debilitating joint pain. Chikungunya can be contracted anywhere in the world where there are mosquitos infected by the virus. 

This is not to be confused with Malaria, as although symptoms may be similar, Chikungunya is viral, whereas Malaria is parasitical. Symptoms include fever, joint pain, headaches, muscle pain, joint swelling, and rashes. Currently, FDA approved, Ixchiq can be accessed by those travelling to high-risk areas such as Africa, Asia, and the West Pacific. 

2. Novartis' acquisition of Mariana Oncology 

May 2024 saw Novartis spending $1 billion upfront for Mariana Oncology, with up to $750 million in potential additional milestone payments. Some of Novartis' other notable acquisitions are AveXis ($8.7 billion) and The Medicines Company ($9.7 billion). Since its inception in 1996, Novartis has established itself as one of the world's most successful pharmaceutical companies.

"Mariana Oncology has developed a robust portfolio of novel peptide based-radiopharmaceuticals targeting a broad spectrum of solid tumor cancers and has invested in manufacturing capabilities, an extensive isotope supply chain and novel formulations to enhance final product shelf-life. The company's lead program, MC-339, is a novel radioligand therapy (RLT) designed to target small cell lung cancer." - Mariana Oncology

1. Key trial results from Queen Mary University of London

Last, but certainly not least, Queen Mary University of London presented transformative findings from two Phase III clinical trials at the ESMO congress. The results showed major advances in oncology, as well as offering new treatment options for aggressive, treatment-resistant cancer types. 

These trials showed that chemotherapy-immunotherapy combinations for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer significantly improved patient survival rates. These findings not only highlight the UK's contributions to cancer treatment advancements but also reinforce its role as a leader in life sciences on a global scale.

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