The Latest
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Adeline Kon/BioPharma Dive
Deep DiveBiotech M&A is on the upswing. Track the latest deals here.
Merck’s proposed buyout of EyeBio is the 22nd biotech acquisition this year worth under $5 billion — a pace of smaller-sized M&A that could easily eclipse last year’s total of 30 such deals.
Updated May 29, 2024 -
Stadtratte via Getty Images
Emerging biotechCinCor’s ‘hub-and-spoke’ parent nabs new funding to build its next biotechs
The $73 million round for CinRx Pharma, which created a startup AstraZeneca bought last year, will help fund subsidiaries making drugs for obesity, irritable bowel syndrome and gastroparesis.
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Getty Images via Getty Images
Immunovant changes up plans for closely watched autoimmune drugs
The company is prioritizing development of an earlier so-called FcRn inhibitor, a type of medicine that’s shown promise treating multiple inflammatory conditions.
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Permission granted by Otsuka Precision Health
Otsuka defies digital health downturn with new company
With “no playbook out there” to fall back on, the new company is taking a long-term approach as it develops its portfolio, an Otsuka Precision Health exec told MedTech Dive.
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Svitlana Hulko via Getty Images
Emerging biotechA biotech working on a new approach to IVF raises $33M in fresh funding
The Series B funding from Two Sigma Ventures, RA Capital and others will help Gameto develop technology it says could replace hormonal injections and shorten the IVF process.
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Adeline Kon/BioPharma Dive
Deep Dive // Emerging biotechBiotech IPOs are the industry’s lifeblood. Track how they’re performing.
Cancer drug developer Actuate Therapeutics is the third biotech to reveal IPO plans in May. No startups have priced an offering since early April, however.
Updated May 28, 2024 -
Mario Tama via Getty Images
J&J gains another bispecific antibody with $1.25B skin drug buy
The deal is J&J’s second this month involving bispecific antibodies, which the company has prioritized to build its immune and cancer drug pipeline.
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Elizabeth Regan / Industry Dive
Insmed shares double as lung drug data convince Wall Street
After reporting positive clinical trial results for its drug brensocatib, Insmed plans to later this year file for U.S. approval in bronchiectasis that’s not associated with cystic fibrosis.
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Maximusnd via Getty Images
Agios cashes in on cancer drug again with $905M Royalty Pharma deal
The deal involves royalties for a brain cancer drug Agios previously sold off and that Royalty Pharma thinks could generate more than $1 billion in U.S. sales.
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Daniel Tadevosyan via Getty Images
News roundupRoche’s Sabry retires; Duchenne drug fails confirmatory test
The veteran executive will be replaced by Boris Zaïtra. Elsewhere, Nippon Shinyaku shared negative Phase 3 data and Merck unveiled new breast cancer results for Keytruda.
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Adeline Kon / BioPharma Dive/BioPharma Dive
Deep Dive // Patent thicketsDrug patents protect pharma profits. Track when they’ll expire here.
Intellectual property is the foundation of the drug industry’s business model. This database will track key patent expiry dates for 30 top-selling medicines.
Updated May 13, 2024 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
Lilly to pour $5B more into expanding Zepbound, Mounjaro production
The planned spending on new facilities in Lebanon, Indiana, brings its total commitment to the site to $9 billion, the largest single manufactuing investment in company history.
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ASCO / Nick Agro
News roundupASCO24: An early look at cancer drug study results
Clinical trial abstracts posted Thursday ahead of this year’s ASCO meeting give a peek at anticipated datasets from Immunocore, Merus, J&J and Merck & Co.
Updated May 24, 2024 -
ASCO / Nick Agro
ASCO24Certain menopausal hormone therapy could raise ovarian cancer risk, study finds
The findings, from two trials involving thousands of women, could influence guidelines around use of hormonal treatment for menopause symptoms.
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Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
Cytokinetics secures up to $575M in royalty deal, frustrating investors
The biotech’s decision to give Royalty Pharma a greater share of future drug sales suggests a lower likelihood it is readying to be acquired, analysts said.
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Christoph Burgstedt via Getty Images
Orna, a circular RNA specialist, acquires a buzzy startup
After laying off staff late last year, Orna is expanding through the purchase of ReNAgade Therapeutics, which was built around technology designed to more effectively deliver RNA-based medicines.
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Courtesy of Millipore Sigma via Business Wire
Merck KGaA to buy gene therapy tools maker for $600M
The German drugmaker is bolstering its MilliporeSigma business with a unit of Gamma Biosciences that specializes in so-called transfection reagents.
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Mario Tama via Getty Images
Pfizer and Lilly are elbowing into the direct-to-consumer market. Will it work?
Direct-to-consumer platforms can offer consumers an online path to sourcing popular medications, but some therapeutic areas may be better suited for the business model.
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Permission granted by Biogen
Biogen, looking to diversify, acquires immune drugmaker HI-Bio for $1.15B
The deal, only Biogen’s third since the start of 2018, is a sign the company is open to branching out beyond the neurological drugs that have long been its focus.
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Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
Pfizer expands cost cuts with new $1.5B target
The company, which previously announced plans to trim $4 billion in spending by the end of 2024, aims to save another $1.5 billion over the next three years.
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Permission granted by SixPeaks Bio AG
Obesity drugsSixPeaks, a new obesity biotech, starts up with an option to sell to AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca has an exclusive chance to buy the startup, which is developing a muscle-protecting weight loss medicine, within the next two years.
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Daniel Tadevosyan via Getty Images
News roundup
Regeneron faces new biosimilar threats; an AI biotech lays off staff
Today’s rundown also includes news of an expanded partnership for Boehringer Ingelheim and updates to emerging medicines from GSK and Bristol Myers.
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Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
AstraZeneca’s $80B sales plan leans on cancer drug expansion
The drugmaker aims to catch up in developing new tumor-fighting technologies — areas where it has lagged behind leaders like Novartis and J&J.
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Permission granted by AltruBio
Emerging biotechAltruBio lands up to $225M after shift to immune drug research
Since pivoting from oncology, the startup has raised close to $300 million and advanced an ulcerative colitis drug into mid-stage testing.
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AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca sets sights on $80B in revenue by 2030
The U.K. pharma expects to launch 20 new drugs by then, among them complex medicines for cancer as well as treatments for weight loss.
