Deals


  • A 3D rendering of the CRISPR-cas9 gene editing system.
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    Meletios Verras via Getty Images
    Gene editing

    Vertex pays CRISPR to use its gene editing tech for diabetes drugs

    Vertex will license CRISPR technology to develop insulin-producing islet cells that are more resistant to immune rejection, adding to other efforts directed at Type 1 diabetes.

    By March 27, 2023
  • Karuna’s schizophrenia drug success draws a royalty buyer

    PureTech Health will sell some of its royalty interest in Karuna’s drug, known as KarXT, after its second successful late-phase trial this week.

    By March 24, 2023
  • Explore the Trendline
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    Brian Tucker / BioPharma Dive
    Trendline

    Biotech dealmaking

    Acquisitions of biotech companies have picked up in recent quarters, suggesting depressed valuations may be facilitating deal conversations. Read this trendline for a look at the factors impacting M&A. 

    By BioPharma Dive staff
  • A person wearing safety goggles holds a pipette of fluid.
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    Courtesy of Grail

    Illumina, facing Icahn challenge, ‘moving quickly’ on resolution for Grail

    The DNA-sequencing company said the activist investor hasn’t offered any better solutions for satisfying regulators’ concerns about the acquisition.

    By Susan Kelly • March 20, 2023
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    monsitj via Getty Images

    Jounce gets rival takeover bid from company controlled by shareholder

    Tang Capital’s Concentra Biosciences is offering Jounce investors a competing bid to the biotech’s planned reverse merger with Redx Pharma.

    By Kristin Jensen • March 15, 2023
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    Brian Tucker / BioPharma Dive

    In Pfizer-Seagen review, FTC has chance to set new pharma precedent

    The regulator’s review of the planned $43 billion deal could reveal how it plans to apply a new philosophy toward drugmaker mergers.

    By March 14, 2023
  • A Pfizer sign on a building.
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    Jeenah Moon via Getty Images

    Pfizer to buy Seagen in $43B cancer drug deal

    The acquisition would give Pfizer control of a top-selling lymphoma drug and a pipeline of medicines that have made the Seattle-based company one of the sector’s most valuable biotechs.

    By Updated March 13, 2023
  • A close-up shot of a woman's hands, handling a syringe of insulin.
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    ClarkandCompany via Getty Images

    Canadian royalty investor buys into first-of-its-kind Type 1 diabetes drug

    DRI Healthcare, which owns royalties on top-selling drugs like Eylea and Stelara, is paying $100 million for a piece of the Provention Bio drug Tzield that the FDA approved last year.

    By March 9, 2023
  • The exterior of the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York City.
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images

    Adaptimmune acquires struggling cell therapy rival following layoffs

    The planned merger between Adaptimmune and TCR2 will extend their cash runway by two years, as a biotech downturn continues to pressure companies.

    By March 6, 2023
  • Two test tubes pour different-colored liquids into a beaker in an illustration representative of biopharma mergers.
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    Elizabeth Regan / Industry Dive

    Seagen reportedly in sales talks again, this time with Pfizer

    Citing people familiar with the talks, The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Pfizer is trying to acquire Seagen and its suite of cancer therapies in a deal that could be worth more than $30 billion.

    By Feb. 27, 2023
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images

    Jounce to lay off half its workers, merge with UK biotech Redx

    The cancer biotech will combine with Redx Pharma, with the resulting company focusing on Redx’s programs for cancer and fibrotic disease.

    By Feb. 23, 2023
  • A view of Moderna headquarters on May 08, 2020 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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    Maddie Meyer via Getty Images
    Gene editing

    Moderna inks another gene editing deal

    The messenger RNA specialist said Wednesday it is teaming up with Life Edit Therapeutics to develop therapies that can modify genes “in vivo.”

    By Feb. 22, 2023
  • A backlit Karuna Therapeutics sign on a teal wall sits behind a white marble reception desk
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    Permission granted by Karuna Therapeutics

    Karuna, hoping to find new brain drugs, buys up a shuttering biotech’s pipeline

    Though Goldfinch Bio focused on kidney diseases, Karuna believes its experimental drugs may have potential treating psychiatric and neurological conditions.

    By Feb. 2, 2023
  • Employees of biotechnology company UniQure work in a laboratory.
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    Courtesy of UniQure
    ALS drug development

    UniQure nabs another gene therapy for ALS

    For $10 million upfront, UniQure has licensed rights to its second experimental treatment for the condition, a medicine from startup Apic Bio that should enter human testing later this year.

    By Jan. 31, 2023
  • A sign showing the Takeda Oncology logo.
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    Jacob Bell

    Takeda pays $400M to buy into Hutchmed’s colorectal cancer drug

    The deal is the second big licensing deal Takeda has signed in as many months and gives the company rights to a drug Hutchmed began submitting to U.S. regulators in December.

    By Jan. 23, 2023
  • A screenshot of BioPharma Dive editor Chris Newman speaking with three biotech executives during an online webinar
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    Ned Pagliarulo/BioPharma Dive

    3 biotech executives on the year ahead: deals, drug pricing and the down market

    “What we’re experiencing now is the aftershock of the party that went on for the last three years,” said Ovid CEO Jeremy Levin in a BioPharma Dive panel that included former Sage head Jeff Jonas and biotech entrepreneur Greg Verdine.

    By Jan. 19, 2023
  • A photograph of Editas Medicine CEO Gilmore O'Neill
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    Courtesy of Editas Medicine

    Editas, in next restructuring step, to sell cell therapy work to Shoreline

    Shoreline will acquire a preclinical NK cell therapy Editas has been developing, as well as a license to use the CRISPR biotech’s gene editing technology. 

    By Jan. 19, 2023
  • Two test tubes pour different-colored liquids into a beaker in an illustration representative of biopharma mergers.
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    Elizabeth Regan / Industry Dive

    Sun Pharma to buy Concert, pick up experimental hair loss drug

    Sun intends to submit the drug, called deuruxolitinib, for U.S. approval in the first half of this year, following in the footsteps of similar therapies from Pfizer and partners Eli Lilly and Incyte.

    By Jan. 19, 2023
  • A 3D illustration of cancer cells.
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    Dr_Microbe via Getty Images

    Leap Therapeutics to buy Flame Biosciences in all-stock deal

    The deal gives Leap several early-stage drug candidates, including an antibody targeting the protein Claudin 18.2, which has lately drawn several other biotech companies’ interest.

    By Jan. 17, 2023
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    Danielle Ternes / BioPharma Dive

    JPM23: Vaccine developers as dealmakers, Gilead’s trial tea leaves and building platform companies

    Arrakis CEO Michael Gilman discussed platform companies’ central challenge, while Moderna’s Stéphane Bancel and Pfizer’s Albert Bourla hinted at greater dealmaking to come for their companies.

    By , , Jan. 10, 2023
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    Danielle Ternes / BioPharma Dive

    Trio of biotech buyouts jumpstarts J.P. Morgan healthcare meeting

    AstraZeneca is acquiring CinCor Pharma, while Ipsen and Chiesi announced deals to buy rare disease drugmakers Albireo and Amryt Pharma, respectively. 

    By Jan. 9, 2023
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    Viktor Chebanenko via Getty Images

    Ensoma buys a startup to advance ‘in vivo’ cell therapy work

    The Takeda-backed biotech revealed it’s raised $85 million in new funding alongside announcing the acquisition of gene editing startup Twelve Bio.

    By Jan. 6, 2023
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images

    Kenvue, J&J’s consumer health unit, files for an IPO in step toward split

    The IPO, which one estimate said could raise as much as $5 billion, is likely to be one of the largest new stock offerings in recent years.

    By Jan. 5, 2023
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    Moderna

    Moderna, becoming a buyer, acquires a synthetic biology specialist

    The biotech said its first acquisition, an $85 million purchase of Japanese company OriCiro Genomics, will hand it better tools to make a key building block of messenger RNA.

    By Kristin Jensen • Jan. 4, 2023
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    Getty / Edited by BioPharma Dive

    Lilly pays $75M to widen RNA editing deal with ProQR

    The expanded deal triples the amount of money the biotech could eventually receive from Lilly and adds several more neurological disease drug targets. 

    By Dec. 22, 2022
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    Jacob Bell

    Jazz pays Zymeworks $325M for HER2 drug rights after positive data

    Two months after signing a deal with Zymeworks, Jazz exercised an option for the drug after it showed potential in treating biliary tract cancer.

    By Dec. 21, 2022