Pharma & Biotech Mergers & Acquisitions News
Pharmaceutical
Big pharmas are not deterred by China’s increasingly complex business environment. Instead, they are changing strategies to minimize risks while continuing to benefit from China, said speakers at ChinaTrials held last week in Shanghai. 18 November 2024
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Biotechnology
Genzyme, a subsidiary of French drug major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) today reported top-line results from the Phase III TOWER study (n=1169) showing that once-daily treatment with teriflunomide (proposed trade name Aubagio) 1mg produced a statistically significant reduction in annualized relapse rate (36.3%, p<0.0001) and risk of sustained accumulation of disability (31.5%, p=0.0442) as measured by EDSS in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. 1 June 2012
Biotechnology
intellectual property developed and owned by Hadassah University Hospital, Israel's foremost medical research center, says that Thrombotech, a portfolio company in which Hadasit holds a 24.8% stake, has signed a merger agreement with D-Pharm (TASE: DPRM), a clinical stage, technology-driven biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary products for treatment of CNS disorders, also based in Israel. 25 May 2012
Biotechnology
The biotechnology industry in France is a dynamic sector mainly made up of small structures, but companies are struggling to finance themselves and attain mid-cap status, according to the results of the 10th Life Science Panorama for 2011 report compiled by trade group France Biotech in partnership with Ernst & Young and released this week. 23 May 2012
Biotechnology
California, USA-based biotech firm InterMune (Nasdaq: ITMN) says that it has reached a definitive agreement with privately-held Vidara Therapeutics International, which has operations in Ireland and the USA, to sell its rights to Actimmune (interferon gamma-1b) in a cash transaction valued at $55 million plus a two-year royalty stream. 22 May 2012
Biotechnology
US biotech company Human Genome Sciences (Nasdaq: HGSI) said yesterday that, after carefully reviewing US drug giant GlaxoSmithKline's (LSE: GSK) unsolicited $13 a share ($2.6 billion in total) tender offer to acquire the company (The Pharma Letter May 9), its board of directors has unanimously determined that the bid price is inadequate, undervalues the company and is not in the best interests of HGS and its stockholders. 18 May 2012
Biotechnology
UK pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) has signed an agreement to fully acquire privately held Cambridge based Cellzome for £61 million ($99 million) in cash. GSK already owns a 19.98% equity interest in Cellzome, and the agreement is for the remaining stake. 16 May 2012
Biotechnology
US biotech firm Amylin Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: AMLN), which earlier this year rebuffed a $22 per share takeover offer from US drug major Bristol-Myers Squibb that led to blistering criticism from billionaire investor Carl Icahn (The Pharma Letter April 5), is now attracting acquisition interest from a number of leading pharmaceutical companies, according to Bloomberg, citing sources close to the discussions. Amylin's shares gained 6.4% to $27.30 by close of trading yesterday. 16 May 2012
Biotechnology
A drought of domestic growth opportunities and new products is inflating valuations for R&D companies as deal values rocket by 75%, according to corporate finance experts at international M&A network, IMAP, announcing the launch of IMAP's 2012 Global Pharma and Biotech Report, which analyses the latest trends and M&A activity in pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector. 10 May 2012
Biotechnology
Bioventus, a new company providing active orthopaedic healing, launched yesterday following the finalization of the strategic venture between the company's owners, an Essex Woodlands led investor syndicate group and the UK's medical technology group Smith & Nephew. 8 May 2012
Biotechnology
Swiss drug major Roche (ROG: SIX) saw its shares drop 4.5% to 159.30 Swiss francs by around midday yesterday, after it announced that, following the results of the second interim analysis of the dalcetrapib dal-OUTCOMES Phase III trial, the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has recommended stopping the trial due to a lack of clinically meaningful efficacy. 8 May 2012
Biotechnology
April proved to be a big month for M&A activity in the life sciences as companies announced more than $29 billion in agreed upon transactions during the month, the bulk of which occurred during the final week, notes Burrill & Co, a US diversified global financial services firm focused on the life sciences industry. The increased activity stood in stark contrast to the initial public offering (IPO) market, which saw no completed life sciences offerings in US markets during the month. 7 May 2012
Biotechnology
US health care major Johnson & Johnson's (NYSE: JNJ) subsidiary Janssen Research & Development says it has submitted a supplemental New Drug Applications to the US Food and Drug Administration seeking approval for the use of Xarelto (rivaroxaban), an oral anticoagulant, to treat patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) and prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE). 3 May 2012
Biotechnology
US biotech firm Amylin Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq AMLN): reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2012, with total revenues coming in at $153.7 million. However, non-GAAP operating loss for the quarter was $30.1 million, compared to $3.1 million for the same period in 2011. The increase reflects investments to support the US launch of its new type 2 diabetes product Bydureon (exenatide extended-release for injectable suspension). 27 April 2012
Biotechnology
Global biotech giant Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) has reached agreement to acquire 95.6% of Mustafa Nevzat Pharmaceuticals (MN), a privately-held Turkish pharmaceutical company, for an all cash consideration of $700 million. The transaction will significantly expand Amgen's presence in Turkey and the surrounding region, which are large, fast-growing, priority markets for the company. 26 April 2012
Biotechnology
Australian firm Biota Holdings (ASX: BTA) and USA-based Nabi Biopharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: NABI) yesterday announced the signing of an implementation agreement to form a combined company, to be named Biota Pharmaceuticals, listed on the Nasdaq market and headquartered in the USA. 24 April 2012
Biotechnology
In line with its stated policy of making strategic, rather than mega, acquisitions, Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) revealed this morning that it has entered into a definitive accord with Ardea Biosciences (Nasdaq: RDEA), a San Diego, California-based biotechnology company focused on the development of small-molecule therapeutics. 23 April 2012
Biotechnology
US drugmaker Human Genome Sciences (Nasdaq: HGSI) revealed yesterday that it has rejected an unsolicited proposal from UK pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) - and long-time partner for already marketed lupus drug Benlysta (belimumab) as well as other investigational drug candidates - to acquire HGS for $13.00 per share - around $2.59 billion in total - in cash. 20 April 2012
Biotechnology
In view of the apparent re-election of the incumbent directors of Illumina (Nasdaq: ILMN), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of life science tools and integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation and function, at the firm's annual general meeting yesterday, Swiss drug major Roche (ROG: SIX) has decided not to extend its increased hostile $51.00 cash tender offer for all of the shares of Illumina (The Pharma Letters passim). The offer will expire at 6:00 pm, New York City time, tomorrow (April 20, 2012). 19 April 2012
Biotechnology
USA-based nano-medicine developer Arrowhead Research Corp (Nasdaq: ARWR) says it has acquired Alvos Therapeutics in a two part stock deal. Formerly known as Mercator Therapeutics, Alvos is a privately-held company that licensed a large platform of proprietary human-derived homing peptides from MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) and the method for their discovery. 12 April 2012
Biotechnology
In a second acquisition announced so far this year, global biotech leader Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) said yesterday that it has agreed to buy KAI Pharmaceuticals, a privately held pharmaceutical company based in South San Francisco, for a cash consideration of $315 million). 11 April 2012
Biotechnology
Aizen Therapeutics, an AI-driven biotech headquartered in San Diego, has officially launched from stealth mode, introducing its drug discovery platform, DaX. 21 November 2024
Biotechnology
Massachusetts, USA-based firm VBI Vaccines has initiated a nationwide voluntary recall of PreHevbrio (hepatitis B vaccine), as it proceeds with bankruptcy and the shutdown of its operations. 19 November 2024
Biotechnology
Last week saw US pharma major AbbVie release disappointing Phase II trial results on its emraclidine in schizophrenia, which benefited Bristol Myers Squibb. Also on the research front, Germany’s Merck KGaA and Abbisko’s pimicotinib showed positive results in tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). M&A news saw German BioNTech punting $800 million upfront to acquire China based oncology focused Biotheus. Also of note, US drugmaker Halozyme Therapeutics made an unsolicited takeover bid for Evotec, valuing the German firm, at around 2 billion euros. 17 November 2024
Biotechnology
Shares of German drug discovery company Evotec leapt 20% to 10.33 euros this morning on the revelation that the USA’s Halozyme Therapeutics has submitted a non-binding proposal to acquire Evotec for 11.00 euros per share in cash, implying a fully-diluted equity value of around 2.0 billion euros ($2.12 billion). 15 November 2024
Biotechnology
BeiGene has announced plans to rebrand as BeOne Medicines, a move the cancer specialist says reflects its commitment to fighting cancer through collaboration. 15 November 2024
Biotechnology
Although it is seeing a downturn in sales and profits, German biotech BioNTech is continuing to acquire assets with the cash pile it made through the covid pandemic, notably iis Comirnaty vaccine that was developed with Pfizer (NYSE: PFE). 13 November 2024
Biotechnology
Trace Neuroscience, a newly launched biopharma based in San Francisco, aims to advance treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, starting with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 12 November 2024
Biotechnology
AlloVir has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with biopharma company Kalaris Therapeutics. 8 November 2024
Biotechnology
California, USA-based biotech Nektar Therapeutics’ shares closed up more than 8% at $1.33 yesterday after it announced the sale of its only manufacturing facility. 5 November 2024
Biotechnology
Maryland, USA–based glycobiology specialist GlycoMimetics has entered into an acquisition agreement with Crescent Biopharma, a privately held biotechnology company advancing a pipeline of oncology therapeutics designed to treat solid tumors. 30 October 2024
Biotechnology
German drugmaker Dr Falk Pharma GmbH today announced completion of the acquisition of Kynos Therapeutics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of novel KMO inhibitors for acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. 29 October 2024
Biotechnology
US Pharma major AbbVie has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Aliada Therapeutics, a biotech advancing therapies using a novel blood-brain barrier (BBB)-crossing technology to address challenging central nervous system (CNS) diseases. 29 October 2024
Biotechnology
Ottimo Pharma, a biotech founded by Medicxi in 2020, has emerged from stealth mode with an executive team packed with prominent industry leaders. 28 October 2024
Biotechnology
Last week Vertex Pharmaceuticals released positive Phase III results for its suzetrigine for moderate-to-severed pain. Belgium’s UCB revealed that Swiss pharma giant Roche was terminating its collaboration on the Alzheimer’s candidate bepranemab. The UK’s health technology assessor the Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) declined to recommend a second Alzheimer’s treatment, this time Eli Lilly’s Kisunla. Also of note, Lyell Immunopharma announced its planned acquisition of ImmPACT Bio and reprioritization of its own clinical pipeline. 27 October 2024
Biotechnology
California, USA-based Lyell Immunopharma (Nasdaq: LYEL) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held US CAR-T company ImmPACT Bio. 26 October 2024
Biotechnology
Mumbai-based Mankind Pharma has completed its acquisition of Bharat Serums and Vaccines (BSV), adding to its portfolio in the women’s health and fertility market. 24 October 2024
Biotechnology
Ocuphire Pharma has announced its acquisition of Opus Genetics, a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on treating inherited retinal diseases. 24 October 2024
Biotechnology
Connecticut, USA-based Modifi Biosciences today announced that the company has been acquired by pharma giant Merck & Co 23 October 2024
Biotechnology
Taiwan-based REGiMMUNE, a biopharma creating immunotherapies through the power of regulatory T cells (Tregs), and France-based Kiji Therapeutics, a specialist in induced pluripotent stem cells-mesenchymal stem cells (IPSC-MSC) engineered cell therapies for inflammatory diseases, are to merge. 18 October 2024
Biotechnology
Danish CNS specialist Lundbeck today revealed that it has reached to acquire Longboard Pharmaceuticals. 15 October 2024
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