Deals
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Slate, Fulcrum to combine in reverse merger
Fulcrum announced in June it would seek strategic alternatives after U.S. regulators expressed concern over the viability of its sickle cell drug.
By Gwendolyn Wu • Aug. 17, 2026 -
PTC takes a chance on Sangamo’s Fabry disease gene therapy
Wall Street analysts view the deal as a risky, high-reward bet on a treatment that’s nearing a possible regulatory approval and could be superior to existing medications.
By Kristin Jensen • Aug. 13, 2026 -
Startup launches
Ex-Legend CEO takes helm at biotech startup scouring the globe for drugs
Ying Huang is now running K2 Therapeutics, which has licensed multiple prospects from China-based biotechs and is searching for more “high-potential” medicines.
By Jonathan Gardner • Aug. 11, 2026 -
Jazz to buy rare epilepsy drugmaker in potentially $1.3B deal
Actio Biosciences, which will receive $820 million up front in the deal, adds to a major upswing in private biotech buyouts seen throughout this year.
By Jacob Bell • Aug. 10, 2026 -
Emerging biotech
Alkeus, an unorthodox eye drug startup, acquired by Tarsus for up to $800M
Alkeus brought to late-stage testing a Stargardt disease therapy that former executive chairman and Vertex founder Josh Boger once called, “if it works, the most perfect drug I’ve ever seen.”
By Ben Fidler • Aug. 6, 2026 -
An AstraZeneca-Bristol Myers megamerger? Wall Street isn’t thrilled.
In fact, the former lost tens of billions of dollars in market value following reports of a potential tie-up between the pharmaceutical giants.
By Jacob Bell • Aug. 3, 2026 -
Supernus, Indivior merge to beef up brain drug portfolio
The transaction combines two companies marketing nearly a dozen neurological drugs that bring in steady, but not blockbuster sales for conditions such as opioid use disorder and Parkinson's.
By Jonathan Gardner • Aug. 3, 2026 -
Emerging biotech
J&J nabs option to buy ‘in vivo’ CAR-T maker Sail for nearly $2.6B
The deal with the buzzy Flagship Pioneering-backed startup makes J&J the latest large drugmaker to bet that the technology might be able to treat autoimmune conditions.
By Gwendolyn Wu • July 30, 2026 -
AbCellera, Vertex partner on next-gen T-cell engagers
The deal adds to a growing streak of partnerships involving new types of T cell engagers and gives Vertex another chance to broaden a business still reliant on cystic fibrosis medicines.
By Delilah Alvarado • July 29, 2026 -
Argenx to acquire Forte in $2.2B deal for ‘differentiated’ immune drug
The deal gives Argenx a drug prospect aimed at the protein target CD122, an approach that’s recently gained traction among multiple developers.
By Delilah Alvarado • July 27, 2026 -
Vertex was sole bidder in high-premium Crinetics acquisition
Analysts expect new details on the lead-up to the deal “are likely to reignite” investor scrutiny that Vertex overpaid in what’s poised to be its largest-ever transaction.
By Jacob Bell • July 22, 2026 -
Tempus to acquire cancer test maker Personalis for $1.5B
Tempus AI’s planned acquisition follows recent interest in blood-based cancer tests across the medtech industry.
By Elise Reuter • July 20, 2026 -
Jasper gets a lifeline in merger with immune drugmaker Kira
The acquisition, which involves a concurrent licensing deal with startup Mirador, gives Jasper a chance to rebound from setbacks that have wiped out most of its market value.
By Delilah Alvarado • July 17, 2026 -
Lilly to buy AtaiBeckley for $2.8B, further validating psychedelics
The latest in a prolific streak of buyouts by Lilly is the strongest sign yet that large pharmaceutical companies may finally be embracing a long-dismissed field of research.
By Jacob Bell • July 16, 2026 -
China competition
Fresh off buyout, Akero execs reunite to advance long-acting psoriasis pill
Set to go public via a reverse merger, Avere has licensed from a prolific Chinese drugmaker rights to a potential threat to medicines like Skyrizi and Icotyde.
By Jonathan Gardner • July 14, 2026 -
GSK ends brain drug alliance with Alector
Clinical setbacks derailed what was once a potentially $2.2 billion deal that marked GSK's return to neuroscience.
By Jacob Bell • July 9, 2026 -
China competition
AstraZeneca, GSK intensify China ties with Sino Biopharm deals
The U.K. drugmakers added to a series of recent tie-ups with Chinese counterparts amid broader scrutiny of such transactions in the U.S.
By Jonathan Gardner • July 8, 2026 -
Oberland pours up to $400M into MeiraGTx eye gene therapies
The funding deal is a vote of confidence in the sales potential of multiple prospects in late-stage development — one of which MeiraGTx recently reacquired from J&J.
By Delilah Alvarado • July 7, 2026 -
Vertex to acquire Crinetics in $10B foray into endocrine disease drugs
Vertex claimed the two drugs in the deal could eventually bring in more than $5 billion annually. Still, the high price it paid stirred debate among analysts and investors.
By Ben Fidler • July 7, 2026 -
News roundup
BridgeBio gets funding for drug launch; United buys into cell therapy
Elsewhere, Otsuka’s kidney drug hit the goal of a confirmatory trial and Vertex’s CRISPR sickle cell drug secured expanded approval.
By BioPharma Dive staff • July 1, 2026 -
Ipsen to buy Swiss biotech Memo Therapeutics in potential $800M deal
The purchase hands Ipsen an experimental medicine in late-stage testing for a virus that often affects kidney transplant patients.
By Kristin Jensen • July 1, 2026 -
Theravance, after clinical setbacks, agrees to $929M buyout
The acquisition by royalty management company Zymeworks follows a "strategic review" triggered by the failure of a drug for a type of low blood pressure.
By Jonathan Gardner • June 29, 2026 -
Antares gets $105M from Novartis for new cancer drugs
Adam Friedman, CEO of the Scorpion Therapeutics spinout, said the deal helps both companies accelerate research "faster than either of us could alone."
By Gwendolyn Wu • June 25, 2026 -
AbbVie to acquire Apogee, staking nearly $11B on long-acting autoimmune drugs
AbbVie’s largest deal in more than half a decade adds a group of immune disease medications — among them a Dupixent competitor — the company believes to have “mega-blockbuster” sales potential.
By Ben Fidler • June 22, 2026 -
Startup launches
cAMPfield lands $180M to build gut disease drug
The biotech is advancing an anti-inflammatory drug that originated with vTv for inflammatory bowel diseases, leaning on a better side effect profile.
By Jonathan Gardner • June 18, 2026