Aanu Adeoye and Oliver BarnesJul 21, 2026 – 5.59pmLondon/New York | Big pharma groups are snapping up biotechs at a record pace as they race to bolster their drug pipelines, spend windfalls from blockbuster medicines and capitalise on lighter-touch regulation under the Trump administration.The number of biotechs acquired for at least $US1 billion ($1.4 billion) this year has reached 37, already surpassing the annual record of 35 set last year, according to US investment firm Stifel.Financial TimesSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles