In March, US Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb surprised the industry when he announced that he would be stepping down as head of the organisation after less than two years. With his tenure now at an end, we take a look back at some of the key developments made during Gottlieb’s time at the helm of the regulatory giant.

Also, we speak to Dutch tech start-up Pharmaoffer, which has created a digital platform that connects the dots between drugmakers and qualified raw material suppliers, find out if there is still hope that GDNF could form the basis for an effective Parkinson’s therapy after disappointing trial results, and take a look at the pharmaceutical properties and indications for CBD.

Plus, we explore the potential of a powerful protein found in the blood of pregnant women to see if it could hold promise as a treatment for a range of age-related disorders, and examine the role that sanitation and hygiene play in the rise of antimicrobial resistance.

Eloise McLennan, editor