Deals: Page 3

CureVac gets German backing for coronavirus vaccine, but says it's independent

An investment of 300 million Euros gives the German government a 23% stake in CureVac, but won't grant the country exclusive national rights to a vaccine nearing human testing.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 15, 2020

AbbVie hands Genmab $750M in latest bid to grow cancer drug business

Best known for Humira, AbbVie has made a concerted effort to build its cancer drugs business, with mixed results. The Genmab alliance could take the Illinois drugmaker in a new direction.

By Ben Fidler • June 10, 2020

China's Innovent buys rights to Roche cancer technology

The deal covers research into cell therapies and bispecific antibodies, and grants Roche an option to develop any resulting product outside of China.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 09, 2020

Fresh off ASCO myeloma data, Legend Bio gets $424M in biotech's biggest IPO of 2020

The China-based cell therapy developer, whose myeloma therapy is a rival to one from Bristol Myers and Bluebird, outraised this year's previous top initial biotech stock offering.

By Ben Fidler • June 05, 2020

Gilead puts $375M into Arcus in latest push to broaden cancer business

The alliance, inked two months after a $5 billion buyout of cancer biotech Forty Seven, extends Gilead's effort to establish itself as a major player in oncology.

By Ben Fidler • May 27, 2020

Little-known drug manufacturer gets big contract for COVID-19 response

Through BARDA, the U.S. government has promised hundreds of millions of dollars to Phlow, a self-declared public benefit company that aims to secure a U.S.-based supply chain for essential medicines.

By Jacob Bell • May 19, 2020

Gilead licenses COVID-19 drug to 5 generics companies

The agreements would allow Mylan, Cipla and others to make remdesivir and distribute it to 127 countries. A consumer advocacy group, though, criticized Gilead for leaving many countries out. 

By Jacob Bell • May 13, 2020

Activist investor pushes Alexion to sell after Portola deal

Elliot Advisors cited Alexion's buyout of Portola, which triggered a sell-off last week, as reason to ask the biotech's board to solicit bids from larger pharmas.

By Jonathan Gardner • May 12, 2020

Alexion, seeking to broaden business, to buy Portola for $1.4B

The acquisition is a bet by Alexion that its commercial strength will help it broaden the market for Portola's top drug, the blood thinning antidote Andexxa. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • May 05, 2020

Blackstone backs Alnylam with up to $2B investment

The deal, which hands Blackstone royalty rights to an as-yet unapproved heart drug, is "one of the largest ever private financings of a biotech company," according to the firm.

By Jacob Bell • April 13, 2020

Amid a pandemic, Roche bets $190M on Arrakis and drugging RNA

The deal is one of the largest for a group of companies that aim to use small molecule drugs to block the function of RNA in the body's cells.

By Ben Fidler • April 08, 2020

Alnylam and Dicerna are pals now, which could spell trouble for Arrowhead

All three biotechs are developing drugs for patients with a genetic condition called A1AT deficiency. A new collaboration between the first two puts pressure on Arrowhead.

By Jacob Bell • April 06, 2020

GSK bets $250M on Vir's antibody approach to treating coronavirus

The companies aim to advance two antibodies developed by Vir directly into Phase 2 testing within the next three to five months, pending regulatory OK.

By Jonathan Gardner • April 06, 2020

Gilead to lean on Second Genome's microbiome work in $38M research pact

The four-year collaboration aims to unearth biomarkers that can help Gilead predict the benefit of drugs for diseases involving inflammation and fibrosis. 

By Ben Fidler • April 06, 2020

Fate inks $100M J&J pact for 'off-the-shelf' cancer cell therapies

Several companies, including Fate, could soon provide meaningful data in support of allogeneic cell therapy, unless COVID-19 disrupts those plans.

By Ben Fidler • April 03, 2020

Novartis gives up on planned $1B generic drug sale to Aurobindo

The companies called off the deal, which was supposed to close last quarter, after failing to secure regulatory sign-off from the FTC.

By Kristin Jensen • April 02, 2020

Ultragenyx's gene therapy technology finds another interested party

Daiichi Sankyo has agreed to pay $225 million to access a manufacturing platform that Ultragenyx acquired through its buy of Dimension Therapeutics.​

By Jacob Bell • April 01, 2020

After waffling, Qiagen agrees to $11.5B buyout by Thermo Fisher

The instruments maker will pay a 23% premium to take out Qiagen, adding to the diagnostics side of its business after investments in its contract drug offerings. 

By Maria Rachal • March 03, 2020

Gilead breaks M&A lull with $5B immuno-oncology deal

The bid for Forty Seven, a California biotech with a mid-stage cancer agent, comes at a high double-digit premium. Analysts expect it's the first of several near-term buyouts for Gilead.

By Jacob Bell • March 02, 2020

Sangamo sees vindication in Biogen gene-editing deal

Delivering products nearly ready for clinical testing has sparked greater dealmaking interest from big pharma, Sangamo's CEO told BioPharma Dive.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 28, 2020

Biogen, Sangamo look to tackle Alzheimer's, Parkinson's through gene regulation

A new collaboration between the biotechs hands Sangamo $350 million upfront and potentially billions more in milestones in exchange for a license to a dozen neurological disease targets.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 27, 2020

Column

Pharmacquired: Where are all the deals?

While a two-month dry spell isn't worrying analysts and consultants, 2020's slow start seems oddly timed given that many large biotechs and pharmas appear in need of M&A.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 27, 2020

Takeda's small celiac disease bet turns into acquisition

Phase 1 data triggered a takeout of PvP Biologics worth up to $330 million, giving Takeda access to a drug invented by a University of Washington team.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 26, 2020

Akebia locks down control over partner's new regulatory fast pass

For $10 million, Akebia gained access to Vifor Pharma's newly acquired Priority Review Voucher, which could narrow the gap between its drug and a closer-to-market rival from AstraZeneca and Fibrogen.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 18, 2020

Nestlé boosts investment as Aimmune preps launch of peanut allergy drug

With $200 million more in the bank, the biotech also in-licensed an experimental next-generation food allergy therapy from Xencor. 

By Jonathan Gardner • UPDATED: Feb. 5, 2020 at 2:02 p.m.