Biotech's deal refusals led to pricey buyout by Merck

Pandion rejected multiple offers by Merck to partner on or acquire the small biotech's research before accepting a $1.85 billion acquisition bid last month.

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 5, 2021

Amgen, with rare buyout, pays $1.9B for cancer biotech Five Prime

The acquisition marks a dramatic turnaround for Five Prime, which has in recent years struggled through setbacks, executive departures and layoffs.

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 4, 2021

Doudna-founded biotech Caribou raises fresh funds to fuel gene editing pipeline

The CRISPR biotech raised $115 million in a Series C financing aimed at advancing its engineered cell therapy research. 

By Kristin Jensen • March 3, 2021

Takeda takes full control of drug for rare epilepsies

A new agreement with Ovid Therapeutics has Takeda paying almost $200 million to secure global rights to soticlestat, an experimental treatment for certain brain diseases.

By Jacob Bell • March 3, 2021

Merck to buy autoimmune drugmaker for $2B

The deal, which values Pandion Therapeutics at a more than 100% premium, would hand Merck a drug in early-stage testing for ulcerative colitis and lupus.

By Jacob Bell , Ben Fidler • Feb. 25, 2021

Beam, capitalizing on stock surge, buys gene therapy tools developer for $120M

Guide Therapeutics, the company Beam acquired, is working on ways to more efficiently deliver gene editing therapies into the body.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 23, 2021

Lilly wagers almost $1B on Rigel's drugs for immune and nervous systems

For $125 million up front, Lilly secures rights to a drug about to enter mid-stage testing for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as preclinical assets targeting the central nervous system.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 18, 2021

GSK expands CureVac vaccine partnership, changing course after setbacks

The U.K. drugmaker will help CureVac make 100 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine and join in developing a multivalent shot for 2022.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 3, 2021

Jazz Pharma to buy GW Pharma, maker of CBD-based epilepsy drug, for $7.2B

The deal gives Jazz, best known for its sleep disorder drugs, access to Epidiolex, the first prescription cannabidiol medicine approved by the FDA.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 3, 2021

Shifting strategy, Coherus buys rights to experimental cancer drug

The biosimilar maker will develop an immunotherapy rival to Merck's Keytruda via a deal with China's Junshi Biosciences.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 1, 2021

Horizon acquires Viela Bio for $3B in a windfall for AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca's decision to spin out Viela Bio in 2018 paid off with a drug approval, an initial public offering, and now an acquisition that will net the pharma close to $800 million. 

By Jacob Bell , Ben Fidler • Feb. 1, 2021

With latest deal, Merck wades into cell therapy for cancer

A small upfront payment gives Merck access to a program from Artiva Biotherapeutics that aims to create "off-the-shelf" CAR-NK cell therapies for solid tumors.

By Kristin Jensen • Jan. 28, 2021

Lilly strikes deal to acquire drug for chronic pain

The experimental treatment from Asahi Kasei Pharma adds to Lilly's pipeline of drugs for pain, including a non-opioid medicine now under review at the FDA. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Jan. 28, 2021

Lilly allies with Vir, GSK as coronavirus variants raise worries about antibody drugs

The emergence of new variants has made antibody drug combinations, which are harder for the virus to evade, more important and led to a unique partnership between a trio of drugmakers.

By Ben Fidler • Jan. 27, 2021

Lilly expands its cancer drug work with bet on dual-acting antibodies

An alliance with Merus, a Dutch biotech, continues Lilly's push to revitalize its oncology research under the leadership of former Loxo Oncology executives.

By Ben Fidler • Jan. 19, 2021

Dana-Farber launches venture fund targeting incurable cancers

Binney Street Capital plans to invest in eight to 10 companies over the next three years. Developing new drugs will be a core focus, though investments could also go toward health services, digital health or diagnostics.

By Jacob Bell • Jan. 15, 2021

5 trends in biotech dealmaking to watch in 2021

Brain drugs, private equity players and blank-check companies are just some of the things deal experts say they'll be keeping an eye on this year.

By Jacob Bell • Jan. 13, 2021

Celgene's cell therapy spinout nets $292M from blank-check merger

With additional financing, Celularity will have $372 million to back development of off-the-shelf treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 8, 2021

Leading $105M biotech funding, Bayer deepens cell therapy investment

A Series B investment in Senti Biosciences will support the startup's research on off-the-shelf candidates, as Bayer places another bet on cell therapy.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 6, 2021

Biogen pushes further into eye gene therapy with new deal

Partnering with German biotech ViGeneron bolsters Biogen's pipeline of drugs for eye diseases, which includes assets acquired through its buyout of Nightstar Therapeutics.

By Kristin Jensen • Jan. 6, 2021

Roche adds to RNA drug deal streak with Ribometrix partnership

The companies' pact is the latest addition to a growing list of deals involving startups developing chemical drugs to target RNA molecules.

By Ben Fidler • Jan. 6, 2021

Dewpoint forges another big pharma partnership — and a potential rivalry

The biotech, which works in the emerging research field of biomolecular condensates, is teaming up with Pfizer to find new treatments for a rare type of muscular dystrophy.

By Jacob Bell • Jan. 6, 2021

Merck signs $356M deal to supply US with experimental coronavirus drug

The drugmaker spent $425 million a month ago to acquire the biotech developer of the treatment, which tamps down on the body's inflammatory response to viral infections.

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 23, 2020

Vertex teams up with Skyhawk, leaning on another biotech in bid to diversify

Following a string of deals in edgy, unproven fields of scientific research, Vertex's latest deal involves chemical-based drugs that target RNA — an approach that's already attracted several large pharmas.

By Ben Fidler • Dec. 22, 2020

Changing identity, Agios to sell cancer drug business to Servier

Servier will pay Agios $1.8 billion upfront to acquire the biotech's approved leukemia treatment Tibsovo as well as the rest of its pipeline in cancer and early-stage research work.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Dec. 21, 2020