In preparation for the fall, FDA advisors resoundingly recommended that a component of the Omicron variant be added to future vaccine doses. But just what that new vaccine formula looks like will be up to the agency to decide. We'll discuss how the committee came to its decision and what the future holds. But thats not all. Two reports – one from Moody’s and the other from PwC – discuss the outlook for mergers and acquisitions in the biopharma industry. Both reports point to an uptick in activity in both the short and long term. We'll discuss what the report says regarding financial flexibility and why the time is right for an increase in deals.
To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

'Science at its hardest': FDA panel recommends incorporating omicron variant into future COVID boosters
Pfizer joins the omicron data party, linking adapted vaccine to increased immune response ahead of FDA meeting
M&A is down, but Big Pharma likely to line up 'multiple shots on goal' in 2nd half, PwC says
BMS, Pfizer and Merck face steep patent cliffs but all have the financial flexibility for M&A: Moody's
Lundbeck, Otsuka to seek new FDA approval for Rexulti after it reduced agitation in Alzheimer's patents
Clover's COVID booster bolsters antibody levels against omicron
'Leaner and simpler': Novartis details plans to cut 8,000 jobs worldwide

The Top Line is produced by senior multimedia producer Teresa Carey with editor-in-chief Tracy Staton, managing editor Querida Anderson and senior editors Annalee Armstrong, Ben Adams, Conor Hale and Eric Sagonowsky. The sound engineer is Caleb Hodgson. The stories are by all our “Fierce” journalists. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.