Others have tried and failed to target α-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease, but Roche hopes a Phase II study could deliver success later this year.

On the new company creation front, using Series A financings as a proxy, start-ups have not escaped the challenging funding environment. Here we update trends in those first-time rounds for 2023.

More than 100 biopharma executives and experts told Scrip their predictions for therapeutic area advances in the coming year. The recent commercial success of GLP-1s in diabetes and obesity and their potential in further disease areas fuelled excitement around the metabolic space. Expectations were also positive in neurology following the launch of Leqembi for Alzheimer’s disease in 2023, while the multiple opportunities to improve cancer treatment kept oncology top of the pile overall.

The company’s new blockbuster eye treatment helped it maintain growth in 2023, while 2024 will see more strategic updates as the company broadens its disease area focus.