STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a $10.6 billion GSK deal, an AstraZeneca obesity pill, and more

Rise and shine, everyone, another busy day is on the way. And it is getting off to a pleasant start here on the Pharmalot campus, where clear blue skies and comfy breezes are greeting us. Who could ask for anything more? Actually, we could —&#x A0;it is time to reheat the kettle for another cuppa stimulation. Our choice today is raspberry hibiscus. And here is a helpful tip: A teaspoon of honey enhances the flavors splendidly. Of course, you are invited to join us. For the full experience, we are hawking replicas — take a look. Meanwhile, here are a few tidbits to help you along. As always, do keep in touch. We appreciate feedback, criticism, and tips. … GSK agreed to buy Nuvalent, a cancer drug developer, in a deal worth $10.6 billion, as the company continues its expansion in oncology, STAT writes. The deal is the latest in a run of biopharma acquisitions in recent months, as large and even midsize companies have been looking to bolster their pipelines as some of their key products face looming generic competition. This latest deal is one of the largest in the recent buying spree, and GSK’s largest in years. Nuvalent designs targeted cancer therapies, with two molecules both under U.S. Food and Drug Administration review for types of non-small cell lung cancer. They could be approved this year.  The deal will give GSK, which has focused on gynecologic cancers as well as multiple myeloma, a broader lung cancer portfolio.  Merck and Gilead Sciences disclosed that an experimental long-acting pill combining two HIV medicines had met its primary efficacy goal in final-stage trials, Bloomberg News notes. The companies said that in two large trials, a once-weekly combination pill containing Merck’s islatravir and Gilead’s lenacapavir had proven to be “non-inferior” to standard pill regimens that are taken daily. If approved by regulators, the new combination could become the first once-weekly pill for