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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Pharmaceutical
Following its previous rejection of Sumitomo Pharma’s full acquisition proposal, endocrinology specialist Myovant Sciences has now accepted an increased offer from the Japanese major, with the news pushing its shares up 9% to $26.72 this morning. 24 October 2022
Biotechnology
Following a Series A financing of $27 million a year ago, Singapore-based AUM Biosciences has entered into an agreement to merge with Mountain Crest Acquisition Corp, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). 21 October 2022
Pharmaceutical
USA-based CNS specialist Corium and Gurnet Point Capital have announced the acquisition of their manufacturing business and a $100 million equity investment by Webster Equity Partners. 21 October 2022
Biotechnology
While there has been a dearth mega-billion M&A activity in the pharma sector this year, smaller deals are coming through, now with US pharma major AbbVie announcing its second acquisition this year. 20 October 2022
Biotechnology
Bolstering its presence in the gene therapy sector, US pharma major Eli Lilly today announced it is acquiring Akouos, a precision genetic medicine company that is developing a portfolio of first-in-class adeno-associated viral gene therapies for the treatment of inner ear conditions, including sensorineural hearing loss. 18 October 2022
Biotechnology
After several setbacks in its product development and partnering deals in the last few years, US oncology focussed biotech AVEO Oncology has agreed to be acquired by South Korea’s LG Chem. 18 October 2022
Biotechnology
Privately-held Swiss ophthalmology company Oculis and European Biotech Acquisition Corp (Nasdaq: EBAC), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), have entered into a definitive business combination agreement. 18 October 2022
Biotechnology
Troubled Boston, USA-based rare disease specialist Imara saw its shares rise 4.4% yesterday and a further 17% to $3.01 pre-market today, after a planned merger with fellow USA-based Enliven Therapeutics was revealed. 14 October 2022
Biotechnology
In a sign that special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deals may be back in favor, Estrella Biopharma and TradeUP Acquisition Corp, a publicly-traded SPAC, have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in Estrella becoming a publicly listed company. 10 October 2022
Biotechnology
M&A deals were a feature last week, with four announced on Monday. Important among these was US biotech Incyte revealing it is acquiring Villaris Therapeutics to expand its vitiligo portfolio with the latter’s auremolimab, in a deal that could cost it a much as $1.4 billion. Also, AstraZeneca’s Alexion rare diseases unit last Monday announced plans to buy LogicBio Therapeutics for a modest $68 million, but a whopping record-breaking 660% premium. On the deal-making front, Provention Bio entered into a co-promotion agreement with French pharma major Sanofi for its yet to be approved type 1 diabetes treatment teplizumab. Also of note, US pharma giant Pfizer presented new Phase III results on its prostate cancer drug Talzenna. 9 October 2022
Biotechnology
A Feature on the deals being done in a lively sub-sector of the pharmaceutical industry. 6 October 2022
Pharmaceutical
The big spenders stayed on holiday during September in pharmaceutical M&A markets—with the exception of Novo Nordisk. 6 October 2022
Biotechnology
Cash rich Pfizer has completed its $11.6 billion acquisition of Biohaven Pharmaceutical, including its money-making calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) programs. 5 October 2022
Biotechnology
Shares of USA-based LogicBio Therapeutics leapt a staggering 641% to $2.02 in early trading today, as it revealed it is being acquired by Alexion, AstraZeneca’s rare disease business. 3 October 2022
Biotechnology
Aiming to add to its vitiligo arsenal, US biopharma firm Incyte today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Villaris Therapeutics, in a deal that could cost it as much as $1.4 billion. 3 October 2022
Biotechnology
In a transaction aimed at creating a precision genetic medicine company focused on neuromuscular and cardiac rare diseases, Boston, USA-based biotech Solid Biosciences on Friday announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire fellow gene therapy biotech AavantiBio. 3 October 2022
Generics
Private equity firm SK Capital Partners has entered into a deal to acquire Apotex Pharmaceutical Holdings, a Canada-based generic drugmaker with products across all major therapeutic areas for patients around the world. 29 September 2022
Biotechnology
Among last week’s news was French drugmaker Genfit announcing its decision to acquire Swiss firm Versantis for 42 million Swiss francs ($42 million) with a further 65 million francs contingent, in order to expand its liver disease portfolio. On the regulatory front, US biotech bluebird bio finally gained US Food and Drug Administration approval for its gene therapy Skysona (eli-cel), a treatment for a rare brain disease. Also, a positive vote from an FDA advisory committee sets the scene for Danish firm Ferring’s Rebyota to become the first microbiome-based therapy. Going against recent big pharma trends, the UK’s GSK has entered into a licensing deal for an antibiotic asset, VS-01, being developed by Spero Therapeutics. 25 September 2022
Biotechnology
Shares of US biotech Sesen Bio (Nasdaq: SESN) tumbled nearly 33% to $0.45 by close of trading yesterday, after it revealed a plan to merge with privately-held Carisma Therapeutics. 22 September 2022
Biotechnology
In an all-stock deal valued at around $53 million, Rocket Pharmaceuticals is to acquire fellow US biotech firm Renovacor. 20 September 2022
Pharmaceutical
Swiss pharma giant Novartis today announced an upgrade to its mid-term guidance, in advance of its Meet Novartis Management event for investors and analysts in London. 21 November 2024
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
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
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
Biosimilars
South Korean biosimilars company Celltrion today announced its acquisition of iQone Healthcare Switzerland a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on distribution, sales, and marketing in Switzerland. 15 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
Pharmaceutical
Life science investor Syncona has announced the launch of its newest portfolio company, Slingshot Therapeutics, through the Syncona Accelerator initiative. 14 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
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
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