Regeneron, in search of an eye gene therapy, turns to a young biotech

Facing mounting competition to its top-selling drug Eylea, Regeneron is teaming up with ViGeneron to develop a genetic medicine for an inherited retinal disease.

By Jacob Bell • April 6, 2022

Sanofi pays IGM $150M, continuing search for better antibody drugs

The French pharmaceutical giant has inked its third antibody-focused deal since December, this time betting on a Californian biotech trying to pioneer a new class of medicines.

By Ben Fidler • March 29, 2022

Pfizer claims study success for drug key to Arena buyout

Etrasimod, the basis of the $7 billion acquisition and a potential rival to Bristol Myers Squibb's Zeposia, has cleared the first of two trials in ulcerative colitis. 

By Kristin Jensen • March 23, 2022

GSK partners with LifeMine as startups advance plans to make drugs from fungi

The deal, announced alongside a $175 million round, makes biotech entrepreneur Greg Verdine's startup the most well-funded among an emerging group of companies searching for drugs in fungal DNA.

By Ben Fidler • March 23, 2022

Biogen and its partner rework terms of Aduhelm deal amid slow sales

Instead of sharing global profits and losses, Eisai will receive royalties tied to net sales of the Alzheimer's drug. Biogen, meanwhile, said the amended deal should make it easier to "address market developments."

By Jacob Bell • March 15, 2022

Sanofi lures Blackstone backing in unusual deal for multiple myeloma drug

Rather than fund development of a more convenient version of its blood cancer drug Sarclisa on its own, Sanofi has instead turned to Blackstone, which has fast become one of the sector's more active investors.

By Kristin Jensen • March 15, 2022

AbbVie keeps up dealmaking pace in neuroscience

On the heels of its Syndesi acquisition, the company has announced an agreement with Gedeon Richter focused on researching and developing new dopamine-regulating drugs for neuropsychiatric diseases.

By Jacob Bell • March 11, 2022

After slower-than-expected review, Pfizer and Arena close buyout deal

Pfizer officially closed its $7 billion acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals on Friday without needing to divest any assets.

By Jacob Bell • Updated March 11, 2022

Novartis turns to Voyager for nervous system gene therapies

The deal, which carries a $54 million upfront payment, could give Novartis access to as many as five of Voyager's capsids, which would be used to develop gene therapies for the central nervous system.

By Jacob Bell • March 8, 2022

Bluebird's CFO resigns as cash woes raise doubts about its future

The gene therapy developer's top financial executive, Gina Consylman, is stepping down amid concerns the company needs to raise additional cash to survive for more than a year.  

By Jonathan Gardner • March 7, 2022

Viatris sells off biosimilars business in $3.3B deal

The sale to Biocon represents the first major step Viatris has taken to reshape itself, following a strategic review that took place throughout 2021.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 28, 2022

Biohaven stocks up on experimental drugs with new acquisition, licensing deal

Separate agreements with Channel Biosciences and Bristol Myers Squibb give Biohaven access to experimental treatments for spinal muscular atrophy and for epilepsy.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 25, 2022

Copay accumulators, maximizers and the CMS best price rule: What you need to know now

Copay accumulators, maximizers and best price concerns dominated the copay assistance landscape in 2021. Here is an update on the most prominent developments in this area over the last six months.

By Jason Zemcik, Vice President, Patient Affordability, TrialCard • Feb. 22, 2022

Pressed by Wall Street, pharma executives signal openness to M&A

Despite tumbling biotech valuations, however, several said they still prefer smaller-sized "bolt-on" deals to larger, potentially more disruptive, transactions.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 7, 2022

Intellia, expanding in gene editing, buys startup Rewrite for $45M

Founded by University of California, Berkeley scientists, Rewrite is studying ways to expand the reach of gene editing beyond limitations of current technologies, including Intellia's. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 3, 2022

Biogen, facing pressure on all sides, sells stake in biosimilars business

The biotech will sell the roughly 50% stake it holds in a biosimilars joint venture to Samsung Biologics for as much as $2.3 billion — cash that analysts expect the drugmaker to invest in M&A.

By Ned Pagliarulo , Jacob Bell • Jan. 28, 2022

J&J 'constantly looking' at biotech M&A, but focused on small, mid-sized deals

Despite sliding stock prices, biotechs aren't "on sale," J&J CFO Joe Wolk said Tuesday. "It's really hard to say whether there's been a capitulation, or a recognition, that values have come down."

By Ned Pagliarulo • Jan. 25, 2022

Antitrust regulators aim to revamp merger guidelines, signaling threat to health sector deals

The news sparked headlines about an attempt by regulators to target big tech, but it could have serious implications for healthcare, too. 

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 19, 2022

UCB to buy Zogenix for nearly $2B in 'first step' for M&A in 2022

The acquisition will give the Belgian pharma access to an epilepsy drug that won U.S. approval in June 2020 but that Zogenix has struggled to sell. 

By Ben Fidler • Jan. 19, 2022

5 questions facing biotech M&A in 2022

Analysts expect that deal engines are ready to start firing again following the recent quiet period. Still, uncertainty remains about how biopharma acquisitions could play out in the coming months.

By Jacob Bell • Jan. 12, 2022

JPM22: M&A anxiety, Roche's comeback plan and Vir's omicron moment

Pharma executives fielded many questions about their dealmaking intentions on the conference's second day, while Roche outlined its plan to compete against Merck and Bristol Myers in cancer immunotherapy.

By Ben Fidler , Ned Pagliarulo • Jan. 11, 2022

Pfizer expands into gene editing with Beam research deal

Pfizer's work with mRNA vaccines led it to explore other applications of the technology, resulting in a multiyear partnership with the high-profile biotech Beam Therapeutics on gene editing treatments for rare diseases.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Jan. 10, 2022

Lilly pours more money into genetic treatments for neurological diseases

For $50 million, Lilly has secured rights to a technology that's meant to transport nucleic acid therapies in a way that's more targeted and better tolerated than other methods.

By Jacob Bell • Jan. 6, 2022

Biogen brings in a successor to Spinraza

The company spent $60 million to secure global rights to an experimental drug developed by Ionis Pharmaceuticals to treat spinal muscular atrophy.

By Jacob Bell • Jan. 4, 2022

Novartis ups investment in gene therapy for the eye with $800M buyout

The deal for Gyroscope Therapeutics, worth up to $1.5 billion, gives the Swiss pharma access to a treatment for a type of age-related blindness as well as new means of delivering drugs into the eye.

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 22, 2021