The landscape of both immunology and neurology therapeutics is currently undergoing a paradigm shift. Immunology therapeutics are moving beyond conventional tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors, Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors and interleukin (IL)-6 antagonists toward precision-targeted modalities that address fundamental immune dysregulation. Meanwhile, in neurology, precision biologics, gene therapies and psychedelic-assisted modalities are converging toward a mid-term approval wave, positioning the central nervous system (CNS) space for meaningful disease-modifying advances across rare, neurodegenerative and psychiatric indications, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
GlobalData’s latest report, “The State of the Biopharmaceutical Industry 2026 (Mid-Year Update Edition,” reveals that monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are the most impactful modality in the immunology and dermatology space, with 41% of pharmaceutical professionals in a survey* expecting them to have the greatest impact over the next one to three years. This was closely followed by 37% of respondents identifying bispecific/trispecific antibodies and 36% saying Treg cells and T cell engagers (TCEs) as those with the most potential.
In the neurology space, established small-molecule and gene therapy approaches are still dominant, with 50% and 44% of respondents, respectively, identifying these as the modalities expected to have the most impact in the next one to three years. However, they are facing accelerating competition from mAbs and targeted protein degraders (PROTACs) in neurology, which ranked jointly in third place, highlighting growing interest in the next-generation precision degradation technologies.
Connor Daniels, Healthcare Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “In immunology, the appeal of these modalities is that, in addition to precision targeting, they have the potential for a superior safety profile compared to some of the more established drug classes, such as JAK inhibitors. This is because they target highly specific proteins extracellularly and do not lead to systemic, off-target toxicity.”
Bi-/multi-specific antibodies are currently considered one of the most critical areas of R&D across immunology indications for developing potentially safer and more effective targeted treatment options. The most advanced assets utilising this modality are Sanofi’s lunsekimig and Pfizer’s tilrekimig for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and AbbVie’s lutikizumab and MoonLake Immunotherapeutics’ sonelokimab for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa, all of which are in phase III clinical trials.
In neurology, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) leads the gene therapy pipeline with a total of 12 programmes, and is the only indication with a marketed asset, reflecting its role as the proof-of-concept indication that validated AAV-mediated gene replacement in the CNS. The robust downstream pipeline (three Phase III, five Phase II, and two Phase I) includes follow-on products to Novartis’s Zolgensma and new entrants, suggesting ongoing competition in durability optimisation, dosing innovation, and broader patient population access.
Daniels concludes: “Pharmaceutical companies that are building multi-modality CNS and immunology portfolios appear to be best positioned to capture value across the anticipated therapeutic evolution.”
*GlobalData’s State of the Biopharmaceutical Industry 2026- Mid Year Update Survey was conducted with a total of 157 biopharmaceutical clients and prospects and was fielded from March 20, 2026 to April 20, 2026
