Pharma Pulse: Long COVID Exercise Win, $150M Gene Editing Play, and Compounding Pharmacy Expansions

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 let’s get into today’s headlines.

• First, we have a breakthrough in the non-pharmacological management of long COVID. A new randomized clinical trial has provided strong evidence that a structured, three-month resistance exercise program significantly helps manage persistent symptoms. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that patients who participated in the exercise regimen showed notable improvements in walking distance, grip strength, and overall health-related quality of life, compared to those receiving standard care. Importantly, these patients also saw improvements in anxiety and depression levels.
• Next, the gene therapy space just got a major injection of capital and focus. Regeneron has announced a global collaboration agreement with Tessera Therapeutics worth up to $275 million, including a $150 million upfront payment and equity investment.The focus of this partnership is TSRA-196, Tessera's investigational gene writing program. The target is Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, or AATD, a rare genetic disease that leads to lung and liver damage.
• Lastly, in supply chain news, Strive Pharmacy is making a massive investment in its future. The compounding pharmacy has broken ground on a new 350,000-square-foot headquarters and advanced compounding facility in Mesa, AZ. This expansion is more than just a bigger building; it’s a strategic play to boost national fulfillment and significantly increase manufacturing capacity for personalized medicine.

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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