January-August 2023 saw clinical trial data up 1.22% compared to the same time period last year. In the first eight months of this year, BioWorld reported on 2,314 drugs in phase I-III, compared to 2,286 in the same timeframe in 2022. The number of trial updates is down 13.24% from the 2,667 in 2021 and down from 2020’s 2,363, but up 20.46% from 2019’s 1,921.

Approvals from the U.S. FDA are up more than 16% from last year, with 113 drugs approved in the first eight months of 2023. New approvals include two different treatments for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, two treatments for ultra-rare diseases and a biosimilar to Biogen Inc.’s Tysabri. In August the FDA greenlighted 13 drugs, approving three NDAs, six BLAs, two supplemental NDAs and two supplemental BLAs.

Biopharma deal values through August are down 13.05% year-over-year, while the number of deals has fallen by 18.51% compared to 2022. M&A value, meanwhile, is down just 3.6% from last year. Through August, 2023 saw 885 biopharma deals worth $111.87 billion, compared to 1,086 deals totaling $128.66 billion in the same period in 2022. The first eight months of 2021 saw 1,386 deals worth $121.22 billion, 1,381 deals valued at $129.96 billion in 2020 and 1,051 deals worth $111.93 billion in 2019.