November 2025
High-Profile Focus: Life Sciences
17
49% of Big Pharma Companies Vulnerable to Email Phishing as Weaponized AI Surges Boston – New analysis from the global cybersecurity company Red Sift on the 100 largest pharma companies shows nearly half of the sector is still open to domain spoofing. Only 51% of companies are at DMARC enforcement, the control that stops spoofed email at the door. According to Red Sift’s research, another 13% sit at p=quarantine, which offers limited filtering but does not equal enforcement. The remainder include 23% at p=none and 13% with no DMARC policy, leaving them fully open to spoofing attempts. Boston is a major hub for Big Pharma and biotech, home to global giants like Moderna, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Takeda, along with a dense ecosystem of smaller biotechs and CROs. This concentration of companies, research institutions, and venture capital creates a thriving environment for drug discovery, development, and innovation, making it a leading global life sciences cluster. “Anything short of a reject-level DMARC policy leaves organizations exposed to bad actors intent on causing harm. Gartner’s latest email security strategy urges cybersecurity leaders to implement safeguards now to protect domains from increasingly sophisticated external threats. Attackers are already leveraging inexpensive and highly
effective tools to bypass traditional defenses and exploit social engineering tactics,” said Rahul Powar, CEO of Red Sift and AI expert. Previously, Powar worked at Thomson Reuters, where he served as the head of advanced products & innovation. He also was part of the
founding team and principal technical architect of Shazam, creating its original iPhone app. Today, the life science industry is a high‑trust, high‑stakes target. Patients and HCPs expect legitimate messages about therapies, trials, refills, and safety
alerts. Attackers are using AI to produce convincing, brand-matched phishing at scale, from fake trial‑schedule updates to invoice and shipment fraud. A single successful spoof can significantly erode patient trust, disrupt supply chains, and invite regulatory scrutiny.
Governor Mills Announces Creation of the Maine Life Sciences Center Augusta, ME – Maine Governor Janet Mills recently announced the creation of the Maine Life Sciences Center, a new initiative of the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) designed to attract investment and foster innovation in life sciences, one of Maine’s fastest-growing economic sectors. The center was officially established through an executive order signed by Mills on Sept. 19. Mills also announced $2.7 million in grants by MTI for the Maine Life Sciences Incubator, a state-of-the-art laboratory to provide space, equipment, and resources to support emerging companies in the life sciences industry. “With this executive order, we are laying the groundwork for more Maine businesses to succeed in one of the fastest-growing industries in the world,” said Mills. “This new center and incubator will give entrepreneurs the facilities and resources they need to grow their companies, create good-paying jobs, and keep innovation and investment here in Maine.” “This is about building an ecosystem where innovation can thrive,” said Mike Duguay, commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. “By supporting entrepreneurs, fostering collaboration, and providing the
right infrastructure, we are positioning Maine to be a leader in life sciences. The incubator and center will help transform research into products, startups into companies, and ideas into jobs.” “The Maine Technology Institute is proud to operate the new Life Sciences Center and help bring the Governor’s vision to life,” said Brian Whitney, president of MTI. “This initiative will focus on strategy development, stakeholder alignment, investment coordination, and
ecosystem capacity-building to advance the life sciences sector.” The Maine Life Sciences Center will coordinate the efforts of research institutions, businesses, and workforce programs to align training, recruitment, and investment strategies. The Maine Life Sciences Incubator, to be built in Portland by the end of 2026, is designed to launch and scale the next generation of life sciences startups by bringing together expert science mentors, workforce
development programs, and investors to support entrepreneurs in efficiently growing their companies in Maine. To build the incubator, MTI awarded $2.3 million to Hatch.Bio Labs of Massachusetts, a biotechnology lab developer, for construction of the facility. The remaining $400,000 was awarded to the Roux Institute of Portland to help grow entrepreneurial support programs for the life sciences sector and the companies housed at the incubator.
www.high-profile.com