Look back at pharma news in the week to October 30, 2020

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell. Editor

Last week’s notable M&A news saw Germany’s Bayer announce that it is expanding in the cell and gene therapy sector with the acquisition of Asklepios BioPharmaceuticals (AskBio), which will cost it as much as $4 billion. Licensing deal news featured CASI Pharmaceuticals buying rights to a novel anti-FeyRIB antibody, BI-1206, from BioInvent for the Chinese market. US firm Apellis Pharmaceuticals signed a deal with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi), out-licensing rights to its pegcetacoplan for up to $1.25 billion. Also, Bristol Myers Squibb entered into a deal with California-based machine-learning driven drug discovery and development firm insitro, looking at certain neurological diseases and potentially worth more than $2 billion.

Bayer looks for answers with $2 billion AskBio acquisition