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
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
Pharmaceutical
News briefs: Grunenthal adds to portfolio; Ajinomoto to buy Althea; Alexion's Soliris OKed in Canada
Family-owned German drugmaker Grunenthal has concluded an exclusive license, distribution and supply agreement with Ethypharm, a French company that is specialized in the development of innovative formulation technologies. 6 March 2013
Biotechnology
The board of Ireland-based drugmaker Elan Corp (NYSE:ELN) has approved the decision to initiate a unique cash dividend policy enabling its shareholders to benefit directly from the long term cash flow generated by the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri (natalizumab), rights to which it recently sold to partner Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB) in a transaction that will provide it with $3.25 billion upfront as well as a sales royalty stream (The Pharma Letter February 7). 5 March 2013
Biotechnology
German drug major Merck KGaA's (MRK: DE) subsidiary Merck Serono yesterday (March 4) announced the creation of Calypso Biotech, the sixth spin-off company resulting from its Entrepreneur Partnership Program (EPP). 5 March 2013
Biotechnology
Belgium-based biopharmaceutical company Bone Therapeutics, focused on innovative cell therapy products for the treatment of bone diseases, says it has secured its future manufacturing requirements, allowing it to produce its unique bone cell therapy products on a commercial scale. 25 February 2013
Generics
The Indian patent office has again ruled in favor of domestic drugmaker Cipla (BSE: 500087), reinstating its earlier decision to revoke pharma behemoth Pfizer's (NYSE:PFE) patent for kidney cancer agent Sutent (sunitinib) in India, Cipla counsel and managing partner of the law firm Singh & Singh, Prathiba Singh, told the local newspaper Business Standard. 12 February 2013
Biotechnology
Israel-based Taro Pharmaceutical Industries (Pink Sheets: TAROF) and Indian drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (SUN: BO) said last Friday that they have mutually agreed to terminate their merger agreement announced last summer (The Pharma Letter August 14, 2012). 11 February 2013
Pharmaceutical
US drugmaker Alexion Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ALXN) says it has been notified of an , unsolicited "mini-tender" offer by TRC Capital Corp to purchase up to 1.5 million shares, or about 0.77%, of the outstanding Alexion common stock at a price of $90.50 per share. TRC's offer price represents approximately a 5.06% discount to the closing price of Alexion common stock on February 5, 2013, the last closing price on the day prior to the date of the offer. In addition, TRC's offer is subject to numerous conditions. 7 February 2013
Pharmaceutical
French drugmaker Ipsen (Euronext: IPN) and privately-held Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals entered into an asset purchase agreement (APA) whereby Canada's Cangene Corp (CNJ: CN) agrees to acquire the worldwide rights to IB1001, a recombinant factor IX (rFIX) for the treatment of hemophilia B. 6 February 2013
Biotechnology
Israeli drug developer Protalix BioTherapeutics (NYSE-AMEX: OLX) saw its shares surge 14.2% yesterday following an Israeli press report that US drugs behemoth Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) has shown an interest in buying the company after it hired Citigroup to start a sale process. 6 February 2013
Biotechnology
Aduro BioTech, a privately-held, US venture capital backed biotechnology company, says it has acquired all GVAX assets from US drug developer BioSante Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: BPAX), including intellectual property and cell lines. This acquisition substantially expands Aduro's immunotherapy portfolio and strengthens its competitive position in the field. 5 February 2013
Pharmaceutical
DelMar Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB: BRRY) has announced the successful acquisition, through a share exchange agreement, of all of the outstanding shares of Del Mar Pharmaceuticals (BC) Ltd, a clinical and commercial stage drug development company with a focus on the treatment of cancer. DelMar also completed the first closing in a private placement consisting of around 6.7 million units of its securities to qualified accredited investors, for total gross proceeds of around $5.4 million. 28 January 2013
Pharmaceutical
French drugmaker Ipsen (Euronext: IPN) and privately-held US firm Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals have entered into an asset purchase agreement (APA) whereby Baxter International (NYSE: BAX) agrees to acquire the worldwide rights to OBI-1, a recombinant porcine factor VIII (rpFVIII) in development for congenital hemophilia A with inhibitors and acquired hemophilia A, and Ipsen's industrial facility in Milford (Boston, Massachusetts, USA). 24 January 2013
Biotechnology
USA-based Progenics Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: PGNX) revealed yesterday that it has acquired Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage private biotechnology company with a small molecule chemistry pipeline aimed at enhancing cancer treatment. 23 January 2013
Generics
South Africa's largest health care company Adcock Ingram (AIP: SJ) has announced the completion of the acquisition of Cosme Farma Laboratories, a pan-Indian pharmaceutical company based in Goa, India for 745 million rupees ($12.7 million). The deal was announced last summer (The Pharma Letter July 10, 2012) and is aimed at expanding the company's presence in the high-growth $16 billion Indian pharmaceutical market. 22 January 2013
Biotechnology
The US Food and Drug Administration revealed it has approved privately-held US biotech firm Protein Sciences Corp's Flublok, the first trivalent influenza vaccine made using an insect virus (baculovirus) expression system and recombinant DNA technology. Flublok is approved for the prevention of seasonal influenza in people 18 through 49 years of age. 18 January 2013
Biotechnology
US biopharma company Alimera Sciences (Nasdaq: ALIM) says that the Spanish Agency of Drugs and Medical Devices has granted marketing authorization to Iluvien (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal insert) for the treatment of vision impairment associated with chronic diabetic macular edema (DME) considered insufficiently responsive to available therapies. 17 January 2013
Pharmaceutical
Shanghai, China-based Fosun Pharma says that it has acquired 77.8% stake in central nervous system and hemostatic drugmaker Hunan Dongting for a consideration of around $93 million. 14 January 2013
Generics
The biggest non-event in the Japan health care market during 2013 will be no reimbursement price reductions, comments P Reed Maurer, long-time Japanese pharma industry watcher and president of International Alliances Limited (IAL). In fact, the next price revisions will not occur until April 2014. 3 January 2013
Biotechnology
Privately-held Canadian drugmaker Pharmascience and Korea Kolmar Holdings, based in Seoul, South Korea, have entered into an agreement to create a new company, Pharmascience Korea, which expects to launch Canadian-made bio-equivalent medicines in the country by 2014. 3 January 2013
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