Aiming to boost innovation, Bayer snaps up US biotech Vividion

Making another move to improve its pharma portfolio, Germany’s Bayer (BAYN: DE) today announced the acquisition of US biotech start-up Vividion Therapeutics.

The company’s shares were down nearly 5% at 47.38 euros by early afternoon trading, but that was more likely linked to its second-quarter financials, which were also released today.

Vividion’s platform is able to produce a variety of small molecule therapies across indications, with initial focus on targets relevant to oncology and immunology. Vividion’s lead programs include multiple precision oncology targets and precision immunology targets, with ongoing efforts on a transcription factor NRF2 antagonist for the potential treatment of NRF2 mutant cancers, as well as NRF2 activators for various inflammatory diseases such as irritable bowel disease – among other pre-clinical programs.

Following closing of the acquisition, Bayer will own full rights to Vividion’s proprietary discovery platform, which comprises three integrated, synergistic components: a novel chemoproteomic screening technology, an integrated data portal, and a proprietary chemistry library.