Neuropulse Daily: January 8, 2026

Pulse:

Eli Lilly is in advanced discussions to acquire Ventyx Biosciences for more than $1 billion, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter, with an announcement potentially imminent.
The reported talks sent Ventyx shares surging more than 50% in extended trading, reflecting investor expectations that the transaction could crystallize value around the company’s inflammation and neurology-focused pipeline.
A potential acquisition would add experimental therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, to Lilly’s portfolio, alongside assets being explored in neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.
The move would be consistent with Lilly’s broader strategy of using acquisitions to deepen its pipeline across immunology, cardiometabolic disease, and neuroscience, while Ventyx brings mid-stage clinical programs that could complement Lilly’s internal R&D efforts.

Pulse:

Compass Pathways entered a strategic collaboration with Radial Health to help design scalable, patient-centric delivery models for investigational COMP360 psilocybin therapy.
Radial’s growing U.S. clinic network and operational expertise will inform how COMP360 can be integrated into real-world psychiatric practice.
The partnership expands Compass’ ecosystem of care-delivery collaborations as it prepares for potential commercialization in treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.

Pulse:

Bial announced the UK launch of KYNMOBI (apomorphine hydrochloride), the first sublingual film for intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in adults with Parkinson’s disease.
Designed for rapid onset and ease of use, KYNMOBI offers an on-demand rescue option for patients experiencing motor fluctuations despite oral therapy.
The launch reinforces Bial’s growing footprint in European neurology markets.

Pulse:

NeuraLight announced completion of the PALOMA study, one of the largest longitudinal, multicenter trials evaluating eye-movement biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease.
The 12-month study followed ~300 patients across the US and Europe, demonstrating strong correlations between NeuraLight’s oculometric measures and standard clinical assessments such as MDS-UPDRS and MoCA.
The company reports its platform delivered up to 10× higher sensitivity than traditional scales, reinforcing the potential of digital biomarkers to transform disease monitoring in clinical trials and real-world care.

Pulse:

EA Pharma, a subsidiary of Eisai, initiated a Phase 3 clinical trial of evenamide in Japan for treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
Evenamide, a novel glutamate release modulator, will be evaluated as an add-on therapy in patients with inadequate response to existing antipsychotics.
The milestone advances the global development program led by partner Newron Pharmaceuticals, and highlights continued innovation beyond dopamine-centric schizophrenia treatments.

Pulse:

Rapport Therapeutics announced the accelerated initiation of Phase 3 trials for RAP-219 in focal onset seizures, following supportive Phase 2a data and alignment with the FDA.
The company is also expanding RAP-219 into primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures, while advancing additional programs in bipolar mania, long-acting injectables, and chronic pain.
Rapport’s strategy underscores increasing investor and regulatory confidence in precision small-molecule approaches for neurological disorders.

Pulse:

Herantis Pharma reported Phase 1b biomarker data demonstrating a clear biological response to HER-096 in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
The data showed modulation of key disease-relevant pathways, including proteostasis, mitochondrial function, and neuroinflammation, consistent with the therapy’s proposed disease-modifying mechanism.
These results de-risk the program ahead of a planned Phase 2 efficacy trial in 2026 and strengthen Herantis’ partnering narrative.

Pulse:

Sarepta Therapeutics submitted a clinical trial application to New Zealand regulators for SRP-1005, an investigational siRNA therapy targeting huntingtin protein in Huntington’s disease.
The Phase 1 INSIGHTT study is expected to begin in Q2 2026 and will evaluate safety and tolerability in approximately 24 participants.
SRP-1005 leverages Sarepta’s transferrin receptor–mediated delivery platform to enable subcutaneous dosing with deep brain penetration, positioning it as a potentially differentiated, disease-modifying approach in a field with no approved disease-slowing therapies.

Pulse:

Compass Pathways received FDA acceptance of its IND application for COMP360 in post-traumatic stress disorder, enabling initiation of a Phase 2b/3 trial.
The study will evaluate the efficacy, safety, and durability of psilocybin-assisted therapy in PTSD, building on encouraging earlier data.
Alongside clinical progress, Compass highlighted advancing commercial readiness for treatment-resistant depression, signaling a dual focus on late-stage development and launch preparation in 2026.