The week in pharma: action, reaction and insight – week to February 21

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell. Editor

Last week’s significant news was dominated by licensing deals and mergers and acquisitions. US biotech giant Biogen entered into a collaboration with Stoke Therapeutics on the development of zorevunersen for Dravet syndrome. US firm Arcus BioSciences presented new data on its kidney cancer disease candidate casdatifan, which Gilead Sciences had an option to license, but at the last moment pulled out of the deal. On the M&A front, with the aim of expanding its China operations, the UK’s AstraZeneca struck a deal to acquire the China business unit of FibroGen, Also, struggling US biotech bluebird bio announced an agreement to be acquired by investment firms Carlyle and SK Capital, for just around $30 million upfront, a fraction of the $10 billion it was valued at its peak.

Strong external validation for Stoke with Biogen deal