US specialities see continued volume growth
US volumes of speciality and fine chemicals fell 0.1% in December 2025 to 3.56m t. This follows a 0.8% gain in November and a 0.7% drop in October, according to consultancy Swift Economics. Despite the fall, volumes were up 2.3% year-on-year, compared with December 2024, and 110.8%, compared with the 2017 average. By comparison, overall US production gained 0.4% in December 2025, a better-than-expected gain, representing 2.0% rise year-on-year and 102.3% of the 2017 average.
Bigger role for ECHA
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is taking on new responsibilities reinforcing its role in delivering coherent, predictable, and transparent chemical assessments under the EU’s One Substance, One Assessment (OSOA) package. Under OSOA, ECHA is entrusted with significant new tasks, reinforcing its role in delivering coherent, predictable, and transparent chemical assessments. These changes will enhance efficiency and improve consistency across EU chemical legislation.
EU pharma investment boost
A provisional agreement has been reached on revamping the European Union’s pharmaceutical policy framework in a bid to boost competitiveness, innovation and security of supply. The reform package revises the current EU rules, which are over 20 years old.
Research finds that human heart muscle cells regrow
Heart muscle cells can regrow after a heart attack, opening up the possibility of new regenerative treatments for cardiovascular disease, claim Australian researchers.
Sabic to sell European Petrochemicals and Engineering Thermoplastics businesses
The Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) has agreed to sell its European Petrochemicals business to Aequita and its Engineering Thermoplastics (ETP) business in the Americas and Europe to Mutares, for a total combined enterprise value of $950m.
EU moves forward on GM plants
EU Parliament and Council negotiators have reached a provisional agreement on the Commission’s proposal on new genomic techniques (NGTs) – techniques that alter the genetic material of an organism. The proposal is designed to make the EU food system more secure and sustainable through climate- and pest-resistant plants that give higher yields and require less fertilisers and pesticides.
Natural variation can thwart antibody therapies
Minor variations in people’s genes can render antibody therapies ineffective, according to researchers in Switzerland who investigated protein variants in or near locations where an antibody therapy interacts with its target.
AI and the art of the possible
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to facilitate radical change in everything, from fundamental research and application development, through to supply chains.
Aurora Therapeutics aims for personalised CRISPR therapies
CRISPR pioneers Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna and Fyodor Urnov have launched a new company Aurora Therapeutics to develop and commercialise personalised gene editing therapies for patients with rare diseases.
New skyrmion-like magnetic materials discovered
Researchers from Florida State University, US, report that blending two materials with nearly identical chemical make-up, but very different crystal structures can produce an entirely new structure that exhibits magnetic properties not found in either of the original materials. The new material could advance data storage technologies and future quantum devices.