Deals: Page 20
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An AstraZeneca spinout scores a buyout option from Arena
The potential acquisition marks a fast turnaround for Aristea, one of several biotechs formed from programs AstraZeneca decided not to advance internally.
By Jonathan Gardner • July 27, 2021 -
Regeneron, AstraZeneca team up on targeted drugs for obesity
After screening 650,000 people, Regeneron unearthed a mutation associated with lower weight. AstraZeneca aims to help the biotech make a drug based on its findings.
By Jonathan Gardner • July 27, 2021 -
AstraZeneca deal for Alexion to close soon as UK regulator clears acquisition
The go-ahead from British regulators was the last hurdle standing in the way of the two companies wrapping up their $39 billion deal announced last year.
By Kristin Jensen • July 14, 2021 -
Lilly wagers up to $1B on a biotech's plan for a new type of insulin
Rival Novo Nordisk has jumped ahead in developing an injectable drug that responds to changes in blood sugar. An acquisition of Protomer Therapeutics could help Lilly close the gap.
By Jonathan Gardner • July 14, 2021 -
Biogen chases rivals with another bet on emerging class of multiple sclerosis drugs
A deal with Innocare gives Biogen a second therapy for MS that targets a protein called BTK, an approach several other competing drugmakers are pursuing, too.
By Ben Fidler • Updated July 14, 2021 -
Novo, in rare deal, buys rights to Prothena amyloidosis treatment
The Danish pharma will pay $100 million in the near term and as much as $1.2 billion overall for an antibody Prothena is developing for ATTR amyloidosis.
By Ned Pagliarulo • July 12, 2021 -
GSK returns to brain drugs with major biotech deal
The pharmaceutical giant best known for its work in cancer, HIV and respiratory illnesses is now paying at least $700 million to get its hands on two experimental drugs from Alector.
By Jacob Bell • July 2, 2021 -
Nestlé joins Seres in deal to market microbiome drug
The health science unit at Nestlé may pay more than $500 million to secure rights in the U.S. and Canada for SER-109, a spore-filled capsule meant for patients with recurrent C. diff infections.
By Kristin Jensen • July 1, 2021 -
Deals surge, returns slip: takeaways from a record half for biotech IPOs
Biotech initial public offerings could break records set just last year. But their average size and performance are declining, which some say might reflect an overdue correction.
By Ben Fidler • June 30, 2021 -
With Alzheimer's drugs in focus, Bristol Myers rejoins the hunt
The pharmaceutical giant is spending $80 million for an exclusive license to an experimental drug developed by Prothena.
By Jacob Bell • June 24, 2021 -
GSK outlines ambitious 10-year plan, but hits investors' near-term outlook
Under pressure from activist investors, the British drugmaker set lofty sales targets for a "new GSK" after a planned exit from consumer health. But shareholders will first face a dividend cut.
By Jonathan Gardner • June 23, 2021 -
Bristol Myers partners with Eisai in $650M deal for targeted cancer antibody
The U.S. drugmaker is the latest to invest large sums of money in antibody-drug conjugates, following recent deals by Gilead, Merck and AstraZeneca.
By Jonathan Gardner • June 18, 2021 -
CRISPR, with new partner, to develop gene editing therapies for ALS, nerve disorder
A deal with biotech startup Capsida, which recently raised $140 million, gives CRISPR access to a Caltech technology that aims to improve the delivery of genetic medicines.
By Jonathan Gardner • June 15, 2021 -
GSK pays iTeos $625M to join race for new type of cancer immunotherapy
The British drugmaker has become the latest large pharmaceutical company to make a sizable investment in a drug targeting TIGIT, following deals from Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead and others.
By Ben Fidler • June 14, 2021 -
Deep Dive
'The lights are no longer green': Antitrust regulators reassess pharma deals
The FTC and its counterparts abroad are rethinking their approach to drugmaker acquisitions. Past scrutiny offers clues to where they may look next.
By Jonathan Gardner • June 10, 2021 -
Bayer buys a biotech and its offshoot in bet on radiopharmaceuticals
The German pharma will add an experimental prostate cancer medicine to its pipeline through the deal, which reflects growing industry interest in the field.
By Ned Pagliarulo • June 3, 2021 -
MorphoSys to buy Constellation in $1.7B deal, aided by unusual funding
Royalty Pharma will effectively fund MorphoSys' acquisition of the cancer biotech through a separate agreement to buy MorphoSys' shares of royalties on several marketed and experimental medicines.
By Ned Pagliarulo • June 2, 2021 -
Biogen licenses a stroke drug from Japanese drugmaker TMS
The drug, which Biogen had an option to license, is one of two in the biotech's pipeline for a condition that has had few new treatments developed.
By Kristin Jensen • May 12, 2021 -
Ginkgo Bioworks to go public through $2.5B SPAC deal
Bellco Capital, led by Kite Pharma and Allogene Therapeutics founder Arie Belldegrun, will co-sponsor the transaction alongside Eagle Equity Partners.
By Ned Pagliarulo • May 11, 2021 -
CSL closes deal for UniQure gene therapy in hopeful sign for M&A
Completion of the buyout eases concerns the arrangement might be held up by the FTC, which has signaled it will step up scrutiny of life sciences deals.
By Kristin Jensen • May 6, 2021 -
Roivant valued at $7B in blank-check merger, bucking SPAC slowdown
Vivek Ramaswamy's unusual biotech holding company will go public through a deal with Montes Archimedes Acquisition Corp. that nets Roivant $611 million.
By Ben Fidler • May 3, 2021 -
Vertex bets another $900M on CRISPR treatment for blood diseases
Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics are tweaking their partnership so that the larger biotech will cover 60% of the costs — and receive 60% of the future profits — related to a gene editing therapy for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
By Jacob Bell • April 20, 2021 -
Relay buys AI startup to aid unorthodox drug discovery quest
The $85 million acquisition is an unusual and early step for a company like Relay, which went public last July and only just began clinical testing of its lead drugs last year.
By Ned Pagliarulo • April 16, 2021 -
US clears AstraZeneca buyout of Alexion amid closer scrutiny of biopharma M&A
FTC authorization of the $39 billion deal — the sector's largest in 2020 — may ease concerns over the agency's plans to more intently inspect pharma deals.
By Jonathan Gardner • April 16, 2021 -
Thermo Fisher to buy research contractor PPD in $17B deal
The deal values PPD at $47.50 a share, or about 24% over the company's closing price on April 13 — the day before The Wall Street Journal reported word of the planned acquisition.
By Kristin Jensen • April 15, 2021