The week in pharma: action, reaction and insight – week to August 12

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell. Managing editor

Confirming earlier rumors, last Monday UK pharma giant Pfizer revealed it has entered into a $5.4 billion deal to acquire Global Blood Therapeutics, along with its sickle cell disease gene therapy Oxbryta. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week granted approval for Myovant and Pfizer’s Myfembree for the treatment of severe pain associated with endometriosis. Last Tuesday Mersana Therapeutics entered into a licensing agreement with GSK, with the UK pharma major taking an option on its Immunosynthen ADC, XMT-2056 that could earn Mersana as much as $1.36 billion. Also last week, fears of Zantac side-effect financial liability lawsuits impacted several pharma majors, including GSK and Sanofi, wiping billions off their marker capitalization.

Pfizer bets $5.4 billion against gene therapies in sickle cell