Novo tops Pfizer with $6.5B bid for Metsera

The offer sparked a bidding war between the two large pharmas over the obesity drug specialist, with Pfizer alleging Novo’s offer is “illusory” and “structured in a way to circumvent antitrust laws.”

By Jonathan Gardner • Updated 15 hours ago

Novartis’ $12B Avidity deal shows a willingness to take big swings in neuroscience

A 46% premium paid for RNA candidates reflects what the pharma giant has sought to do for the last few years: aim at technology that fits into its own expertise.

By Michael Gibney • Oct. 28, 2025

Novartis to acquire Avidity in $12B bet on RNA drugs for neuromuscular disease

The deal, which Novartis expects can “unlock multibillion-dollar opportunities” in the years ahead, hands the company a group of medicines for multiple forms of muscular dystrophy.

By Ben Fidler • Oct. 26, 2025

Biogen licenses a possible immune drug from OrbiMed-backed biotech

The preclinical drug from Vanqua Bio is designed to inhibit “C5aR1,” a part of the immune system that regulates inflammation.

By Jacob Bell • Oct. 24, 2025

Adverum, hammered by gene therapy downturn, sells to Lilly in unusual deal

Lilly’s upfront offer for Adverum, the developer of a gene therapy for age-related macular degeneration, is less than the company’s previous closing share price.

By Jacob Bell • Oct. 24, 2025

Alkermes expands sleep portfolio with acquisition worth up to $2.1B

Analysts called the proposed purchase of Avadel Pharmaceuticals a “clear” strategic fit for Alkermes, handing it an already marketed product for excessive daytime sleepiness.

By Jacob Bell • Oct. 22, 2025

Takeda stakes more than $11B on cancer drugs from China

The Japanese pharma is licensing up to three next-generation cancer drugs from Innovent Biologics in a deal it believes to be “transformative” for its oncology portfolio.

By Ben Fidler • Oct. 22, 2025

Iambic partners with Jazz; Merck breaks ground on $3B plant

The biotechs will assess a combination of two drugs against HER2-positive breast cancer. Elsewhere, Merck unveiled the latest piece of its more than $70 billion domestic manufacturing investment.

By BioPharma Dive staff • Oct. 21, 2025

Novo wagers up to $2.1B on Omeros’ rare disease drug

The deal gives Novo rights to a drug it sees as having "multiple advantages" over other treatments for so-called complement-mediated diseases.

By Delilah Alvarado • Oct. 15, 2025

Kailera nets $600M more to advance Zepbound-like obesity drug

Among the largest private biotech funding rounds this year, the financing will support global trials of an obesity shot that just succeeded in late-stage testing in China.

By Jonathan Gardner • Oct. 14, 2025

BioCryst goes ‘all in’ on rare swelling disease with Astria deal

A deal valuing the Boston biotech’s stock at $700 million hands BioCryst a long-acting injectable for hereditary angioedema that complements its daily pill.

By Delilah Alvarado • Oct. 14, 2025

Bristol’s $1.5B Orbital buyout extends ‘in vivo’ cell therapy deal streak

The acquisition of the well-funded startup is the fourth this year involving companies with technologies that can genetically modify immune cells inside the body. 

By Jonathan Gardner • Oct. 10, 2025

Novo joins MASH dealmaking surge with $4.7B Akero buyout

The deal is the third acquisition since May involving a drug that could reverse liver scarring in people with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. 

By Jonathan Gardner • Oct. 9, 2025

Zenas looks to China to stock pipeline with 3 more immune drugs

A potentially $2 billion deal with InnoCare Pharma hands Zenas rights to a BTK inhibitor in late-stage testing for multiple sclerosis and two other immune medicines in earlier development.

By Kristin Jensen • Oct. 8, 2025

Metsera strengthens case for Pfizer buyout with latest study data

In a Phase 2 trial, a drug at the center of the $4.9 billion deal matched the type of weight loss trajectory seen in testing of Eli Lilly’s Zepbound.

By Jonathan Gardner • Sept. 30, 2025

Genmab to acquire closely watched cancer drug in $8B Merus buyout

The deal hands Genmab a drug that showed the potential in earlier testing to extend survival in head and neck cancer when added to Merck’s widely used immunotherapy Keytruda.

By Delilah Alvarado • Sept. 29, 2025

Pfizer buys back into obesity drug chase with $4.9B Metsera deal

The deal ends a short run as a publicly traded company for Metsera, which is being sold for more than double its IPO price amid enthusiasm for its weight loss medicines.

By Jonathan Gardner • Sept. 22, 2025

Biogen to buy startup Alcyone, eyeing easier delivery of RNA drugs

The purchase gives Biogen full access to an implantable device that could help patients avoid the repeat lumbar punctures required for drugs like Spinraza.

By Kristin Jensen • Sept. 18, 2025

Roche dives into MASH with $2.4B deal for 89bio

Roche’s CEO claimed 89bio’s drug, which is in late-stage testing, has the potential to show “best-in-disease efficacy” for many people with the condition.

By Ben Fidler • Sept. 18, 2025

CSL nabs option to acquire a startup and its blood-clotting drug

A deal with Dutch startup VarmX gives CSL an option to buy a Phase 3-ready drug that could reverse the effects of popular anticoagulants like Eliquis, which carry the risk of internal bleeding.

By Kristin Jensen • Sept. 16, 2025

Novartis to gain heart drug in $1.4B deal for Tourmaline Bio

Tourmaline recently unveiled mid-stage trial data for its anti-inflammatory drug, which is ready for Novartis to advance into Phase 3 testing for heart disease.

By Delilah Alvarado • Sept. 9, 2025

Bravehart, a stealthy startup, looks to China to challenge Bristol Myers heart drug

Led by the former CEO of Hi-Bio and backed by notable investors, the startup licensed from Hengrui a drug it claims is superior to Bristol Myers' Camzyos as well as other, similar medicines.

By Ben Fidler • Sept. 5, 2025

Novartis thinks Arrowhead brain drug can succeed where others couldn’t

A licensing deal worth at least $200 million will give Novartis access to a preclinical RNA medicine designed to combat diseases like Parkinson’s.

By Jacob Bell • Sept. 2, 2025

Royalty Pharma buys BeOne stake in Amgen lung cancer drug sales

An $885M deal with BeOne Medicine gives the pharma financier rights to a revenue stream from global sales of Imdelltra, which is sold by Amgen.

By Jonathan Gardner • Aug. 25, 2025

AbbVie wagers more than $1B on Gilgamesh’s psychedelic drug

The asset deal thrusts AbbVie to the forefront of the psychedelic field, handing it a therapy that recently scored positive Phase 2 results in major depression.

By Jacob Bell • Aug. 25, 2025