WHOOP Secures $575M, Reaches $10B Valuation
Marissa Plescia / medcitynews - WHOOP’S Series G round was led by Collaborative Fund and includes participation from 2PointZero Group, Qatar Investment Authority, Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James.The post WHOOP Secures $575M, Reaches $10B Valuation appeared first on MedCity News.
AI Summary: Wearable fitness company Whoop closed a $575 million funding round that values the business at roughly $10 billion, attracting strategic partners including Abbott and health systems like Mayo Clinic. The cash infusion underwrites an aggressive hiring spree and product expansion as Whoop doubles down on clinical collaborations and scaling its sensor and analytics platform.
Eli Lilly’s Neuro Prospects Expand to Sleep Science With $6.3B Centessa Acquisition
Frank Vinluan / medcitynews - Centessa Pharmaceuticals’ cleminorexton is part of the orexin agonist drug class, which could introduce a new approach to the treatment of narcolepsy and other sleep disorders. Acquiring Centessa brings Eli Lilly into a group of clinical-stage orexin agon…
AI Summary: Eli Lilly announced a $6.3 billion acquisition of Centessa to secure a promising narcolepsy/sleep-disorder candidate and expand its neuroscience portfolio. The deal fast-tracks Lilly into sleep science, buying late-stage assets rather than relying on in-house miracles — a tidy shortcut to diversifying its neurotherapeutics pipeline.
Eli Lilly Bets €2.4B on AI-Designed Drugs in New Insilico Medicine Deal
oncodaily - In a sweeping push to expand its pipeline and embrace artificial intelligence in drug discovery, Eli Lilly and Company has announced two major strategic moves: a multi-billion-dollar collaboration with Insilico […]
AI Summary: Eli Lilly struck a major partnership with Insilico Medicine to accelerate AI‑designed drug programs, providing a substantial upfront payment and committing to multiyear development milestones and potential payouts worth roughly in the billions. The deal expands Lilly’s AI drug discovery footprint and signals big pharma’s growing bet on algorithmic chemistry.
Kailera Plans IPO for Obesity Drug That Could Top Lilly’s Zepbound
Frank Vinluan / medcitynews - Kailera Therapeutics’ planned IPO will fund ongoing clinical development of a pipeline led by a drug that could rival Eli Lilly’s Zepbound in both efficacy and tolerability. Meanwhile, Renaissance Capital’s recap of first quarter 2026 IPOs shows slowing a…
AI Summary: Kailera announced plans for an initial public offering to fund late‑stage development of a Phase 3 obesity candidate licensed from Hengrui, positioning the program as a potential rival to Lilly’s Zepbound. The IPO aims to accelerate clinical work and commercial readiness as investors weigh market appetite for next‑generation weight‑loss therapies.
- Antimicrobial resistance risk found in South African wastewater (1)
- Financing rush: IPOs and venture cash fueling obesity drug race (4)
- New commercial models: subscriptions, telehealth, expanded patient access (4)
- Regulatory wins and science shaping next-generation weight-loss drugs (6)
- All Other Stories
Antimicrobial resistance risk found in South African wastewater
Financing rush: IPOs and venture cash fueling obesity drug race
New commercial models: subscriptions, telehealth, expanded patient access
Regulatory wins and science shaping next-generation weight-loss drugs
All Other Stories
CMS: This year's open enrollment brought fewer signups, higher premiums
fiercehealthcare - The administration's official numbers on the 2026 Open Enrollment Period outlined drops in new customers and automatic re-enrollment, the latter of which CMS said stemmed from its crackdown on improper enrollments. Average monthly premiums also increased …
AI Summary: CMS data show this year's ACA open enrollment produced fewer new signups while benchmark premiums climbed, nudging many consumers into higher‑deductible plans. Enrollment sits near 23.1 million for 2026, but the mix of coverage is tilting toward cost‑sharing over comprehensiveness, raising concerns about affordability and surprising out‑of‑pocket shocks for vulnerable families.
Continuous wearable monitoring reduces time with low oxygen after surgery, study finds
medicalxpress - Patients continuously monitored after surgery experienced significantly less time with dangerously low oxygen levels compared to those monitored using routine spot checks, a new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine found.
AI Summary: An HCA Florida hospital has named a new chief financial officer as part of a leadership shakeup aimed at stabilizing operations and tightening financial oversight. The appointment signals management’s focus on fiscal discipline and strategic planning amid ongoing industry pressures—because nothing says “confidence” like swapping out the person who signs the checks.
Two States Sue Cord Blood Bank Over False Advertisements
Sarah Kliff and Azeen Ghorayshi / nytimes - The attorneys general of Texas and Arizona contend that Cord Blood Registry, which stores umbilical cord cells, profited from misleading new parents.
AI Summary: Two state attorneys general filed lawsuits alleging a cord‑blood bank made false or misleading claims about the future therapeutic value of stored units. The actions seek consumer remedies and penalties, challenging marketing that regulators say may have led families to pay for services based on overstated promises about potential medical uses.
“Me engañaron”: agentes encadenan a un padre que había ido al ICE a reunirse con sus hijos
Claudia Boyd-Barrett and Renuka Rayasam and Amanda Seitz / kffhealthnews - Se supone que la agencia que cuida a niños que llegan solos al país deben reunirlos pronto con sus familias o cuidadores. Pero cada vez más los usan como “carnada” para arrestar a los padres.
AI Summary: Gilead struck a deal to acquire Ouro Medicines for roughly $1.68–1.7 billion, securing an immune‑modulating autoimmune program intended to reset pathological immune responses. The transaction combines upfront cash and potential milestones, expanding Gilead’s pipeline and signaling continued industry appetite for bolt‑on buys to chase novel therapeutics.
Merck’s $6.7B Terns Acquisition Positions It to Challenge a Blockbuster Novartis Cancer Drug
Frank Vinluan / medcitynews - Merck has been acquiring assets that could help make up for the coming revenue decline as its top product, the cancer drug Keytruda, drops off the patent cliff. Terns Pharmaceuticals’ lead product candidate, in development for treating a type of leukemia,…
AI Summary: Merck announced a definitive deal to acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals for about $6.7 billion, gaining a promising leukemia drug candidate and bolstering its oncology pipeline. The transaction aims to combine Merck’s late‑stage development and commercialization capabilities with Terns’ targeted therapy assets to compete in hematologic malignancies.
Cencora acquiring EyeSouth Partners' retina business for $1.1B
fiercehealthcare - EyeSouth Partners' retina specialists will join Cencora's Retina Consultants of America, a management services organization that already boasts the country's largest network of retina centers.
AI Summary: Cencora has agreed to acquire EyeSouth Partners’ retina business for roughly $1.1 billion, strengthening its position in specialty ophthalmology services. The deal transfers a network of retinal care assets and aims to integrate retina-focused clinical operations and distribution under Cencora’s broader eye‑care strategy.
Justice Department sues NewYork-Presbyterian in second hospital antitrust case this year
Sydney Halleman / healthcaredive - Federal regulators accused the health system of using its market power to force insurers into “all-or-nothing” contracts. The Justice Department filed a similar lawsuit against OhioHealth last month.
AI Summary: The Justice Department filed suit alleging NewYork‑Presbyterian engaged in unfair contracting and anticompetitive practices that harmed hospitals, physicians, and patients by restricting competition and raising prices. The complaint signals intensified federal scrutiny of hospital consolidation and contractual arrangements that may lock out rivals and drive up healthcare costs.
Demoralized CDC Workforce Reels From Year of Firings, Funding Cuts, and a Shooting
Jess Mador, WABE / kffhealthnews - Thousands of employees are gone and last summer’s shooting resonates still at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters and among the large public health community in Atlanta.
AI Summary: An internal crisis at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has left staff demoralized after a year of firings, funding cuts and a workplace shooting. The acting chief vows to restore stability while the White House delays a permanent director nomination, prompting media scrutiny and debate over agency leadership and morale.
- Demoralized staff and leadership scramble at Atlanta's CDC (3)
- Inside the scramble for a permanent CDC director (3)
- Wider federal research cuts, RSV spread complicate CDC mission (3)
- All Other Stories
Demoralized staff and leadership scramble at Atlanta's CDC
Inside the scramble for a permanent CDC director
Wider federal research cuts, RSV spread complicate CDC mission
All Other Stories
CommonSpirit, Humana reach new nationwide Medicare Advantage contract
Rebecca Pifer Parduhn / healthcaredive - The new agreement will give Humana’s MA members access to CommonSpirit’s doctors and facilities for the next three years, and returns CommonSpirit to Humana’s networks in Colorado and Texas.
AI Summary: CommonSpirit Health and Humana reached a multi-year Medicare Advantage network agreement expanding MA access across multiple states. The deal secures provider participation, stabilizes reimbursement pathways and affects beneficiary enrollment options, aiming to align hospital networks with Humana’s MA plans while smoothing care coordination and payment arrangements.
12 Senate Democrats Unveil Plan to Cut Costs, Expand Coverage
Marissa Plescia / medcitynews - In a recent letter, Senate Democrats proposed lowering healthcare costs, expanding coverage and cracking down on insurance company practices.The post 12 Senate Democrats Unveil Plan to Cut Costs, Expand Coverage appeared first on MedCity News.
AI Summary: A group of Senate Democrats released a package targeting insurance costs and access, proposing steps to lower premiums, expand coverage pathways and increase oversight of insurers. The agenda signals a coordinated legislative push to tackle affordability and industry practices, setting the stage for heated negotiations with stakeholders who enjoy the current status quo.
- Medicaid enrollment threatened by work requirements and redeterminations (5)
- Other health policy, market and access stories (9)
- PBMs, insulin pricing face bipartisan and regulatory pressure (6)
- Senate Democrats push reforms to curb insurer power (4)
- All Other Stories
Medicaid enrollment threatened by work requirements and redeterminations
Other health policy, market and access stories
PBMs, insulin pricing face bipartisan and regulatory pressure
Senate Democrats push reforms to curb insurer power
All Other Stories
Novartis to pay $2B upfront to take next-gen PI3Kα inhibitor from Synnovation
Ayisha Sharma / endpoints - Novartis has budgeted $2 billion upfront to buy a more selective PI3Kα inhibitor for breast cancer. The Swiss pharma already has Piqray with a similar target, but drugmakers are now entering the next-generation era as ...
AI Summary: Novartis agreed to pay $2 billion upfront to acquire Synnovation’s mutant‑selective PI3Kα inhibitor, a bet to revive and strengthen PI3K‑targeting combination strategies in breast cancer. The deal swaps in external innovation for internal development speed, shoring up the company’s oncology pipeline while quietly admitting buying is sometimes faster than building.
High Cancer Burden Shifted From Urban to Rural Areas and Gap Widening
cancer - Two American Cancer Society studies highlight increase in cancer burden in rural areas
AI Summary: Recent analyses show the colorectal cancer burden has moved increasingly from urban centers to rural areas, widening disparities. Researchers attribute the shift to screening shortfalls, limited access to specialty care and socioeconomic barriers, and call for targeted screening, resource reallocation and tailored prevention efforts as rural populations face rising incidence and poorer outcomes.
- Clinical trials and treatment advances (6)
- Early-onset, prevention, and genetics (5)
- Rural burden and access disparities (8)
- All Other Stories
Clinical trials and treatment advances
Early-onset, prevention, and genetics
Rural burden and access disparities
All Other Stories
Nadia Care raises $12M to grow Medicaid maternal care
Ngai Yeung / endpoints - A maternal care startup offering virtual and in-person care just raised $12 million in new funding after dropping commercial insurers to focus on Medicaid, Endpoints News learned exclusively. Nadia Care, previously known as Cayaba Care ...
AI Summary: Nadia Care secured $12 million to expand its community‑centered maternal care model, increasing Medicaid‑focused doula and perinatal support services. The funding aims to scale access in underserved areas, bolster nonclinical supports that improve outcomes, and reduce maternal health disparities — because apparently traditional care alone wasn't cutting it.
TerraPower Isotopes Invests $450M in Actinium-225 Production Facility
oncodaily - TerraPower Isotopes (TPI), the Bill Gates-founded nuclear science company, unveiled plans on March 17, 2026 to invest $450 million in a state-of-the-art actinium-225 (Ac-225) manufacturing facility in Philadelphia’s Bellwether District. The 250,000-square…
AI Summary: TerraPower announced a $450 million investment to construct a commercial Actinium‑225 production facility to supply alpha‑emitting radioisotopes for targeted cancer therapies. The plan tackles chronic supply shortages, strengthens domestic radiopharmaceutical capacity and positions the company at the center of growing demand for targeted‑alpha therapeutics — and yes, investors are watching.
Updated: Lilly’s triple-G comparable with Mounjaro, first Phase 3 diabetes data suggest
Elizabeth Cairns / endpoints - Eli Lilly’s so-called triple-G reduced blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes by up to 1.9% in a late-stage trial — a similar margin as Mounjaro achieved in its pivotal diabetes study. The triple-G ...
AI Summary: Eli Lilly’s third‑generation GLP‑1 candidate reported Phase 3 data demonstrating significant weight loss and A1C reductions, with efficacy appearing comparable to existing therapies like Mounjaro. The results sharpen competition in the GLP‑1 market and raise questions about pricing, access and who gets first dibs on the next blockbuster injection.
- At clinics: GLP‑1 demand reshaping access, care and pricing (5)
- In labs: oral pills and novel GLP‑1 delivery approaches (4)
- On the ground: Lilly's triple‑G rivaling Mounjaro in trials (3)
- Other: clinical oddities, surgical implications and pipeline setbacks (5)
At clinics: GLP‑1 demand reshaping access, care and pricing
In labs: oral pills and novel GLP‑1 delivery approaches
On the ground: Lilly's triple‑G rivaling Mounjaro in trials
Other: clinical oddities, surgical implications and pipeline setbacks
Verily raises $300M, sheds Alphabet’s majority control
Shelby Livingston / endpoints - Verily has raised $300 million in new, outside funding that ends parent company Alphabet's controlling position in the healthcare innovation company, Endpoints News has learned exclusively. The funding round was led by Series X Capital ...
AI Summary: Verily secured a $300 million financing round that reduces Alphabet’s majority control, bringing new strategic investors on board including health system partners. The cash infusion aims to accelerate Verily’s healthcare technology and platform ambitions — because nothing says “healthcare disruption” like another well‑funded pivot.