Ep. 348 - Biotech's 2026 Catalysts. Plus: China's New Orphan Rules

BioCentury This Week

BioCentury This Week
Ep. 348 - Biotech's 2026 Catalysts. Plus: China's New Orphan Rules
Feb 02, 2026 Season 7 Episode 348
BioCentury

RNAi and exon-skipping therapies headline the list of regulatory and pivotal data catalysts in 2026, while new lipid-lowering mechanisms, modalities, and precision medicines define cardiovascular disease catalysts this year. On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury’s analysts discuss the most important milestones of the year in new modalities, CV and renal diseases.
The analysts also discuss a new regulation in China introducing orphan drug exclusivity that could incentivize development of rare disease therapies.

Dig into the BioCentury’s catalyst picks and the new China policy below
2026 Catalysts: The rise of RNAi
2026 Cardiovascular Catalysts: Lp(a) on the Horizon
2026 Obesity Catalysts: Launches, readouts and challengers
2026 Catalysts: Breakthrough progress in renal disease
AZ signals all-in on obesity via CSPC deal for $1.2B up front
China’s orphan drug exclusivity could bolster market, incentivize development

View full story: https://www.biocentury.com/article/658286

00:00 - Introduction
02:28 - RNAi and Antisense Therapies
06:37 - Neuromuscular and Musculoskeletal
10:33 - Renal Disease Catalysts
22:26 - China's New Orphan Rules

To submit a question to BioCentury’s editors, email the BioCentury This Week team at podcasts@biocentury.com.

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Episode Artwork Ep. 348 - Biotech's 2026 Catalysts. Plus: China's New Orphan Rules 31:08 Episode Artwork Ep. 347 - Speeding China's Innovation. Plus: Neuro Catalysts and Newcos 29:48 Episode Artwork Ep. 346 - 2026 Public Markets Preview 30:54 Episode Artwork Ep. 345 - TAC to the Future. Plus: GSK Deal, MFN 30:33 Episode Artwork Ep. 344 - JPM Momentum and Asia’s Hotbeds of Innovation 43:19 Episode Artwork Ep. 343 - JPM Deals, Policy Outlook, Approval Trends 25:19 Episode Artwork Ep. 342 - 2026 Biotech Kickoff 25:54 Episode Artwork Ep. 341 - BioCentury's '25-'26 Picks. Plus: BioMarin & Biotech ICYMI 38:15 Episode Artwork Ep. 340 - Obesity Data, Kymera & FDA Survey Results 32:50 Episode Artwork Ep. 339 - Biotech M&A, In Vivo CAR Ts & FDA Tumult 35:21 Episode Artwork Ep. 338 - Semaglutide’s Alzheimer’s Miss. Plus: Vaccine Policy, Cell, Gene Therapy Funding 29:46 Episode Artwork Ep. 337 - FDA’s Moving Goalposts & China’s Innovation Arc 33:55 Episode Artwork Ep. 336 - Cautious Optimism and M&A Momentum 41:01 Episode Artwork Ep. 335 - Neurology's Coming Inflection Point 40:11 Episode Artwork Ep. 334 - Pazdur’s New FDA Role, SITC & China RNAi 36:04 Episode Artwork Ep. 333 - Is This Korea’s Biotech Moment? 45:39 Episode Artwork Ep. 332 - Obesity in Focus. Plus: What’s Next for FDA 28:03 Episode Artwork Ep. 331 - Metsera M&A Melee & Tidmarsh Ouster 27:56 Episode Artwork Ep. 330 - China's Innovation Moment 43:15 Episode Artwork Ep. 329 - Novartis' $12B Avidity Buy. Plus: Base Editors 31:23 Episode Artwork Ep. 328 - Brain Shuttles, GSK Q&A and FDA Vouchers 33:59 Episode Artwork Ep. 327 - Where Gene & Cell Therapy Go Next With Evotec's Bernd Mühlenweg 23:04 Episode Artwork Ep. 326 - Market Outlook, Biosecure Returns, Biotech M&A 36:01 Episode Artwork Ep. 325 - Pfizer MFN Deal, New Trial Paradigm & Billion $ Fund 30:11 Episode Artwork Ep. 324 - Genmab, GSK and Drug Pricing 28:45