• Connecticut/New York: A New York bankruptcy court has approved Purdue Pharma's opioid-related settlement plan, which is worth at least $7.4 billion and will resolve mass lawsuits against the company for its role in the opioid crisis. According to the Wall Street Journal, the settlement will largely be funded by the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue Pharma. Although the Sackler family has denied any wrongdoing, they agreed to fund $6.5 billion in settlement payments over time. Purdue will provide an additional $900 million. Under the settlement plan, Purdue will no longer exist as its own company and will transfer most of its operating assets to a new entity called Knoa Pharma, which will help provide treatments and medication to combat the opioid crisis. Knoa will be owned by a newly formed foundation, and states will choose the initial members of its board. "The plan is the product of intense work with our creditors through a singular, shared focus on delivering as much value as possible to meaningfully address the opioid crisis," said Purdue board chair Steve Miller. "Today cements the end of a long chapter, and brings us very near to the end of the book for Purdue." (Yerak, Wall Street Journal, 11/14)
• New Jersey: Merck recently announced plans to acquire Cidara Therapeutics for $9.2 billion as part of its ongoing efforts to widen its pipeline to prepare for its blockbuster drug Keytruda losing patent protection. Cidara is currently developing an experimental flu treatment that could help protect people who don't have robust responses to vaccines, including older adults and those with compromised immune systems. So far, a Phase 2 trial of the treatment has shown promising results, and the company is working on a Phase 3 trial. Cidara is also in the early stages of developing cancer therapies. "This milestone represents a transformational moment for Cidara and for our mission to redefine influenza prevention," said Cidara CEO Jeffrey Stein. "Merck's global development, regulatory, and commercial capabilities provide the expertise and resources needed to bring this important innovation to those individuals who need it most." (Joseph, STAT+ [subscription required], 11/14)
• Virginia: According to a new report from WTW, U.S. healthcare costs are expected to increase by 9.6% in 2026, only slightly less than the 9.7% increase experienced this year. Among the health insurers who said they expect increases, over half said they believe costs will continue to be elevated for more than three years. According to the respondents, the top causes for rising medical costs were new medical technologies, the decline of public health systems, and advancements in pharmaceuticals. Cancer was also named as a top medical cost driver worldwide, with 57% of health insurers surveyed naming it as the most expensive diagnosis. "The challenge of navigating healthcare inflation for multinational employers requires strategic management," said Courtney Stubblefield, WTW's managing director of health and benefits. "This can include investing in education for employees on the use of health benefits, raising awareness of prevention programs for prevalent diseases like cancer, optimizing mental health coverage, and introducing flexibility of benefits." (Christ, HR Dive, 11/12)

The life sciences industry is at an inflection point. As pharma companies face mounting pressure they must adapt faster and more strategically. We'll explore key trends shaping commercial strategy in 2026 and gain actionable insights to stay competitive in an evolving health care landscape.