The Top Line
The Top Line
Biopharma and medtech explained. Every week, journalists from Fierce Biotech, Fierce Medtech and Fierce Pharma recount the latest industry trends and why they matter. We’ll analyze the week’s biggest business news—from mergers and marketing to drug R&D and device development. Available every Friday morning.Social links:
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The biggest potential drug launches of 2026
The leaders of this year’s list of the most anticipated drug launches will likely come as no surprise: Fierce’s annual report on the biggest potential launches of 2026 details how the next obesity meds from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are expected to rake in a respective $17.2 billion and $11.8 bill…
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How Mirum is Advancing Rare Disease Care Through Strategic M&A (Sponsored)
Please see the following USPI, US ISI, EU SmPC and Canadian Product Monograph for complete LIVMARLI product information: US Important Safety Information (https://livmarli.com/important-safety-information/) US Prescribing Information (https://files.mirumpharma.com/livmarli/livmarli-prescribinginfo…
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Why human expertise still matters in AI-driven med comms (Sponsored)
Artificial intelligence is reshaping medical communications, but it is not a substitute for human judgment. In this episode of The Top Line, experts from RTI Health Solutions explore how AI is being used across scientific writing, editing and information discovery—and why guardrails are essential. …
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Biopharma's rebound keeping pace so far
In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce checks in with professional services juggernaut KPMG on the biopharma rebound many industry watchers predicted in the closing months of 2025. Fierce Pharma’s Fraiser Kansteiner sits down with Kristin Cirello Pothier, principal and U.S. and Americas …
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JPM26: Sunshine, AI and the deals that weren't
With this year’s iteration of the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in the rearview mirror, the biopharma industry has officially closed the door on 2025 as it heads into what is sure to be another eventful year. In this week’s episode of "The Top Line," Fierce Pharma's Zoey Becker sits down with …
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From approval to value: Why evidence storytelling now matters (Sponsored)
As payers focus on long-term outcomes and real-world performance, value matters more than ever. RTI Health Solutions experts discuss how clear evidence storytelling drives access decisions.
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Drug approvals went from crawl to sprint in 2025
In early 2025, the FDA was rocked by sweeping layoffs and leadership turnover, raising questions about whether the agency could maintain its pace in reviewing new drug applications. By the end of the year, the approval picture told a more complicated story, with momentum building after a slow star…
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Putting patients first: from buzzword to business imperative (Sponsored)
What does it really mean to put patients first in today’s life sciences landscape? In this sponsored episode of The Top Line, leaders from RTI Health Solutions explore how patient voices are transforming evidence generation, market access and medical communication. From patient-reported outcomes an…
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Beyond the AI hype: How life sciences can turn agents into a competitive advantage (Sponsored)
As artificial intelligence continues to dominate conversations across life sciences, many companies are reaching an inflection point between experimentation and real-world impact. In a recent episode of The Top Line, Mark Sullivan, president of regulated industries at Salesforce, said the industry …
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China’s biotech moment goes global, Zai Lab exec says (Sponsored)
China has moved from a fast-following biotech market to a source of globally competitive innovation, according to Josh Smiley, president and chief operating officer of Zai Lab. Speaking on The Top Line podcast, Smiley traces the country’s evolution over the past two decades, pointing to regulatory …
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