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
Biotechnology
Austrian precision cancer medicines focused biotech OncoOne has appointed Brent Meadows to its executive management team as chief business officer (CBO). 15 September 2021
Biotechnology
Canadian biotech AbCellera yesterday announced it has acquired TetraGenetics, a USA-based company with a proprietary platform for generating recombinant human ion channels and other transmembrane proteins. 14 September 2021
Biotechnology
Significant news last week included Swiss pharma giant Novartis deciding to halt a trial of its iscalimab in the prevention of organ rejection in kidney transplant patients as it showed less efficacy than tacrolimus. US biotech BioMarin suffered a setback last Monday, when the Food and Drug Administration issued a clinical hold on the Phase I/II trial of its phenylketonuria candidate BMN 307. Roche’s Genentech unit signed a deal that could cost it more than $3 billion with US cell therapy specialist Adaptimmune. And last Wednesday, France’s Sanofi announced its fourth M&A deal this year, agreeing a $1.9 billion acquisition of US biopharma company Kadmon Holdings and its recently FDA-approved transplant drug Rezurock. 12 September 2021
Pharmaceutical
Swiss pharma giant Roche has signed a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of German biotech TIB Molbiol Group. 9 September 2021
Pharmaceutical
Shares of USA-based biopharma Kadmon Holdings shot up nearly 74% to $9.21 pre-market today, after pharma major Sanofi revealed that it had reached agreement to acquire the company, which marks the fourth M&A deal for the French firm this year. 8 September 2021
Biotechnology
Shares of Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, also known as Sobi, jumped as much as 23.6% to 235 Swedish kronor early today, after the company revealed it has received a takeover bid. 3 September 2021
Generics
Ardena, a Belgian pharmaceutical ctract development and manufacturing Organization (CDMO), says it has acquired Idifarma, a Spain-based contract manufacturer of niche and highly potent generic and innovative drugs. 2 September 2021
Biotechnology
Swiss biopharma Polyphor and privately-held US rare diseases company EnBiotix have signed a merger agreement. 2 September 2021
Pharmaceutical
A trio of pharma's biggest companies announced major acquisitions in the latter part of the summer. 1 September 2021
Biotechnology
All signs point to an M&A boom in late 2021 and throughout 2022. In this episode, Lance Minor, principal and national co-leader of the life sciences practice at BDO, provides valuable insight into current and emerging trends in the biotech investing landscape. 1 September 2021
Generics
Dutch drugmaker Centrient Pharmaceuticals, an antibiotics manufacturer wholly-owned by Bain Capital, has acquired Vadodara, India-based Astral SteriTech, a manufacturer in sterile antibiotic injectable finished dosage forms. 1 September 2021
Biotechnology
Revelation Biosciences, a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on the development of immunologic based therapies for the prevention and treatment of disease, and Petra Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), have entered into a definitive merger agreement for a business combination that will result in Revelation Biosciences becoming a publicly traded company. 30 August 2021
Biotechnology
Among the notable news announced last week, US pharma giant Pfizer said it has reached agreement to acquire Canadian immune-oncology drug developer Trillium Therapeutics, in a deal that carries a price tag of $2.226 billion. Also of note, the US Food and Drug Administration granted full approval for Pfizer and BioNTech’s blockbuster COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty. Danish biotech Ascendis Pharma gained FDA clearance to market its pediatric growth hormone deficiency drug Skytrofa. China’s Brii Biosciences announced Phase III clinical data on its COVID-19 antibody combination therapeutic – BRII-196/BRII-198. And BioMarin Pharmaceutical received European Commission approval for its Voxzogo (vosoritide) in the treatment of achondroplasia, a rare disease that is the most common cause of dwarfism. 29 August 2021
Biosimilars
Indian drugmaker Cipla Limited and Kemwell Biopharma, one of the largest pharmaceutical contract manufacturing organizations (CDMO) in India, have executed a joint venture agreement to develop, manufacture and commercialize biosimilars for global markets. 27 August 2021
Pharmaceutical
Bain Capital has sold its 42.9%-plus convertible bonds in Kosdaq-listed botulinum toxin maker Hugel, reported the Korea JoongAng Daily and other media. 26 August 2021
Biotechnology
Shares of Canadian immuno-oncology drug developer Trillium Therapeutics skyrocketed 193% to $17.8 pre-market today, after it was revealed that its board has accepted a takeover bid from US pharma giant Pfizer. 23 August 2021
Biotechnology
US pharma major Eli Lilly has announced executive leadership changes and the creation of neuroscience and immunology business units. Effective September 5, Lilly Bio-Medicines will split into two business units: Lilly Neuroscience and Lilly Immunology. 18 August 2021
Biotechnology
US privately-held biotech HiberCell today announced the acquisition of Genuity Science, a life science technology company – previously known as WuXi NextCODE and with Chinese backing - that provides world-leading genomics and multi-omic analytics bolstered by an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) platform to illuminate the underlying cause of cancer and other diseases. 17 August 2021
Pharmaceutical
With private equity group Carlyle declining to increase its last offer of 155 pence a share in the bidding war for UK inhaled therapies specialist Vectura earlier this week, US tobacco and nicotine giant Philip Morris (PMI) looks set to be the winner. 13 August 2021
Biotechnology
German CNS specialist atai Life Sciences has announced the launch of Revixia Life Sciences, a wholly-owned subsidiary developing Salvinorin A (SalA) to treat a variety of mental health disorders. 12 August 2021
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