Pharma Pulse: FDA Expands Pediatric UC Treatment Options, AstraZeneca and Algen Partner in Neurology, and Peli BioThermal Boosts Cold Chain Capabilities

Welcome to Pharma Pulse, a Pharmaceutical Commerce podcast where we bring you the latest insights shaping patient access, supply chain/logistics, data & tech, and healthcare innovation. I’m your host, and in today’s episode, we’re covering a new FDA approval expanding treatment options for pediatric ulcerative colitis, a multi-target collaboration in neurology between Algen and AstraZeneca, and a major cold chain acquisition from Peli BioThermal.

• The FDA has approved golimumab for the treatment of pediatric patients aged two years and older with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. This marks an important milestone in expanding biologic options for younger patients who have had limited therapeutic choices. Clinical data demonstrated significant improvements in disease control and remission rates, giving physicians another tool to manage this challenging condition in children.
• In R&D news, Algen has entered a multi-target research collaboration with AstraZeneca focused on developing treatments for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. The partnership will leverage Algen’s proprietary platform for identifying disease-modifying compounds, combined with AstraZeneca’s deep expertise in neuroscience and drug development. The goal is to accelerate the discovery of new therapies for complex conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
• Lastly, in supply chain developments, Peli BioThermal has acquired Evo from BioLife Solutions, expanding its cold chain portfolio to better serve the biopharma and clinical supply sectors. The move enhances Peli’s cryogenic and temperature-controlled shipping capabilities—critical for cell and gene therapy logistics—and is expected to improve scalability and efficiency across the company’s global customer base.

From innovative pediatric therapies to strategic partnerships and cold chain expansion, these stories highlight how pharma continues to advance patient access and operational resilience.

That’s it for this episode of Pharma Pulse. For more insights on trends transforming pharmaceutical access and care delivery, visit pharmaceuticalcommerce.com.

Thanks for listening—until next time, stay well and stay informed.

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