In the two weeks before and after Independence Day in the U.S., AstraZeneca signed potential billion-dollar licensing deals with CSPC Pharmaceutical and Sino Biopharmaceutical, Hengrui Pharma's Kal | AstraZeneca signed potential billion-dollar licensing deals with CSPC and Sino Biopharm, Hengrui's Kaleira-partnered oral GLP-1 candidate reported obesity and diabetes phase 3 data from China, and biotech insiders decried certain U.S. lawmakers' scrutiny over Chinese clinical trials as a distraction. And more.

The U.K. drugmakers added to a series of recent tie-ups with Chinese counterparts amid broader scrutiny of such transactions in the U.S.

Kailera's GLP-1 pill data raises concerns, FDA clears Vera autoimmune therapy, and more biotech news from The Readout