Pharma & Biotech Mergers & Acquisitions News
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
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Generics
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Lonza Specialty Ingredients of Switzerland by USA-based Bain Capital Investors and Cinven Capital Management of the UK. 21 June 2021
Pharmaceutical
French biotech Ethypharm, a specialist in central nervous system (CNS) disorders and critical care, is to buy Spanish firm Altan Pharma. 21 June 2021
Biotechnology
US science and technology conglomerate Danaher Corporation has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held biotech firm Aldevron, a fast-growing producer of plasmid DNA, mRNA and recombinant proteins that are used for vaccines, including those for the current coronavirus pandemic. 18 June 2021
Biotechnology
Charnwood Molecular, a UK-based pre-clinical discovery contract research organization (CRO) has announced the acquisition of the assay development and biological screening provider, Aurelia Bioscience. 18 June 2021
Biosimilars
Shares of pharmaceutical companies continued their upward journey at the bourses in India, with the pharma index hitting a new high. Pharma stocks are in focus amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, helping register a strong gain for companies like Aurobindo Pharma, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Cadila Healthcare, reports The Pharma Letter’s India correspondent. 15 June 2021
Biotechnology
Valo Health has announced its intention to list as a publicly-traded company, with a significant investment from backers including Khosla Ventures, Koch Disruptive Technologies and Flagship Pioneering. 10 June 2021
Biotechnology
Last week’s deal-making news featured US biotech giant Amgen announcing a licensing agreement with Japan’s Kyowa Kirin to develop the latter’s KHK4083 for atopic dermatitis, for a potential $1.2 billion. Also, Australian drug developer Immutep signed a licensing deal with Germany’s Merck KGaA for its PD-1 inhibitor eftilagimod alfa, which also attracted attention at the ASCO meeting. On the regulatory front, Ireland’s Alkermes finally gained US Food and Drug Administration approval for its Lybalvi (olanzapine and samidorphan) for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar 1 disorder. Germany’s MorphoSys announced it is acquiring US firm Constellation Pharmaceuticals along with its lead candidates pelabresib and CPI-0209, which are hematological and cancer treatments, respectively, for a total of $1.7 billion. 6 June 2021
Biotechnology
Shares of US cancer drug maker Constellation Pharmaceuticals closed up a massive 66.7% at $33.74 yesterday on the news that it has agreed to be acquired by Germany’s MorphoSys. 3 June 2021
Biotechnology
Heartseed and Danish pharma major Novo Nordisk have entered into an exclusive worldwide collaboration and licence agreement for development, manufacturing and commercialization of the Japanese start-up’s lead asset, HS-001. 1 June 2021
Biotechnology
South Korean contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Samsung Biologics plans to add mRNA vaccine drug substance (DS) manufacturing capability to the current facility in Songdo, ready for cGMP operations within the earlier part of the year in 2022. 1 June 2021
Pharmaceutical
Clinical trials featured in last week’s news, with US company Annovis Bio seeing its market value double on May 21, when it released new data showing the potential of its ANVS401 as a treatment for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. On the negative side, NGM Biopharmaceutical last Monday added to the list of failures in the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) therapy sector with its candidate aldafermin. Meanwhile, French drugmaker Abivax presented encouraging data for its ulcerative colitis candidate ABX464. On the M&A front, UK inhaled therapies specialist Vectura agreed to a £958 million ($1.35 billion) takeover bid from venture capital firm Carlyle Group. Also, the UK’s Marketing and Competition Authority announced that it will commence an investigation of AstraZeneca’s planned $39 billion acquisition of the US drugmaker Alexion Pharmaceuticals. 30 May 2021
Biosimilars
ProBioGen and Egyptian firm Minapharm Pharmaceuticals, which owns 96.79% of Germany-based ProBioGen, have announced the incorporation of ProBioGen's subsidiary MiGenTra GmbH with headquarters in Berlin and access to a site in Cairo, which will house its principal manufacturing plant. 27 May 2021
Pharmaceutical
AstraZeneca’s planned $39 billion buy of American rare disease specialist Alexion Pharmaceuticals hit a speed bump on Tuesday, after the UK’s antitrust body launched a review of the deal. 26 May 2021
Pharmaceutical
Switzerland-based Tillotts Pharma, part of Japan’s Zeria Group, today announced entering new markets in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux). 25 May 2021
Pharmaceutical
US specialty drug company Xeris Pharmaceuticals has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Strongbridge Biopharma for stock and contingent value rights (CVRs), aiming to create an innovative leader in endocrinology and rare diseases. 24 May 2021
Pharmaceutical
Japanese pharma major Daiichi Sankyo received a major headway in the global oncology space with the launch of its first antibody drug conjugate (ADC) therapy Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan). 21 May 2021
Biotechnology
California, USA-based Gamma Biosciences has as agreed to make a controlling investment in Mirus Bio, an innovator and developer of biomimetic, cell-adaptive lipid-polymer nanocomplexes (LPNCs) for nucleic acid delivery based in Madison, Wisconsin. 19 May 2021
Pharmaceutical
Staff from the US Federal Trade Commission, Canada’s Competition Bureau, the European Commission Directorate General for Competition, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, and Offices of State Attorneys General has issued a notice seeking public comment to inform their review of how to best update their approaches to analyzing the effects of pharmaceutical mergers. 12 May 2021
Biotechnology
Interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics is at an all-time high. 11 May 2021
Biosimilars
Last week saw Novartis’ Sandoz unit on Monday announce it is progressing the development of biosimilars to Bayer and Regeneron’s blockbuster ophthalmic drug Eylea. Also of note, the US medicine cost watchdog, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), issued a draft report questioning the benefit/risk of Biogen and Eisai’s Alzheimer’s disease candidate aducanumab. And Roivant Sciences entered into a $7.3 billion SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) deal with Montes Archimedes to go public. Marking an important new indication for Merck & Co’s Keytruda, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the blockbuster drug for the first-line treatment of HER2-positive gastric cancer. 9 May 2021
Biotechnology
AlloVir has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with biopharma company Kalaris Therapeutics. 8 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
European regulators will decide by December 6 whether Novo Holdings, the controlling shareholder of Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk, can finalize its $16.5 billion acquisition of contract drug manufacturer Catalent. 5 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
Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical M&A came back with a bang during October, after a quiet September. 5 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
US pharma major AbbVie last week proposed $1.4 billion acquisition of US CNS drug developer Aliada Therapeutics. Last week saw a bunch of third quarter 2024 financials results, among which were Elil Lilly, AbbVie and Merck & Co. Also of note, Lexicon’s type I diabetes drug Zynquista faced a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee review that resulted in largely negative vote against recommendation. 3 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
Pharmaceutical
Melbourne, Australia-based Telix Pharmaceuticals has announced the launch of Rhine Pharma, a subsidiary aimed at increasing global access to radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment and imaging. 22 October 2024
Pharmaceutical
French pharma major Sanofi has opened negotiations to sell a 50% controlling stake in its consumer health business Opella to US private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). 21 October 2024
Pharmaceutical
Last week’s significant news included Denmark-based CNS drugmaker Lundbeck reaching agreement to acquire US firm Longboard Pharmaceuticals, along with its bexicaserin, for $2.6 billion. Also, US pharma giant Pfizer entered into a deal with TRIANA Biomedicines to develop molecular glue degraders. On the regulatory front, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week approved Novocure’s key product Optune Lua for lung cancer patients. Also, German biotech BioNTech and its US partner OncoC4 received a partial clinical hold from the FDA on the Phase III trial of gotistobart in lung cancer. The European Medicines Agency’s human health committee, CHMP, Reaffirmed its non-approval of PTC Therapeutic’s Translarna. 20 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
Biotechnology
USA-based Kezar Life Sciences announced this week that it was pausing its Phase IIb PALIZADE trial evaluating zetomipzomib in lupus nephritis (LN) following the deaths of four patients. 10 October 2024
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