Welcome to the first issue of Pharmafocus in 2025! In the UK, we are preparing for our final month of winter before moving into spring, and as winter comes to a close, the time for new beginnings comes into view. With insights into how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing processes in the pharmaceutical industry, we must ask: is this the beginning of a total AI-led revolution?

AI insights continue to provide discussion as Tata Consultancy Services highlights how patient care could benefit from AI (page 14). Digital researchers and their impact on drug discovery take the limelight as Sapio Sciences dissects how AI agents can bring benefits to the current drug discovery process (page 16). More insights include a feature from Steritas about steroid toxicity (page 18) and Medidata AI on synthetic control arms and how they can impact rare disease trials (page 20).

Meanwhile , news from across the pharma industry sees an improvement in the survival rate of bladder cancer patients after a trial by Sheffield University, UK (page 4), and Aplagon receive €7m in funding for its thrombo-inflammatory clinical trials (page 6). The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have approved a treatment from CSL for hereditary angioedema (page 8) in addition to a treatment by Sanofi for newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are ineligible for an operation (page 9). R&D continues to evolve as GSK sign a research collaboration with Oxford University, UK (page 10). Meanwhile, business never stops as ProductLife Group acquire Stragen Services (page 13).

Don’t miss the five facts about UK Clinical Trials (page 22).

Natalia Elliot