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 2, 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

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

Catalent, expecting a boom in cell therapy, bids for Masthercell

With biologics driving growth, the contract manufacturer is looking to diversify with a $315 million purchase that hands it a slate of production sites.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 3, 2020

To close merger, AbbVie and Allergan sell digestive drug to AstraZeneca

Allergan acquired global rights to brazikumab for $250 million up front in 2016, but expected antitrust conflicts pushed it and AbbVie to pursue a divestment.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 27, 2020

Lilly seeking out more 'Dermira-like' deals: report

The pharma is targeting deals between $1 billion and $5 billion every quarter, its CFO told Reuters, although the focus will be on clinical-stage assets.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 17, 2020

BioNTech rescues cancer biotech Neon in bargain buyout

The all-stock deal, worth $67 million, valued Neon at a 86% discount to the cell therapy developer's IPO price of $16 per share.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Jan. 16, 2020

Orchard isn't for the picking, Biohaven's Allergan headache, and who's on Vascepa?

Amarin CEO John Thero had one question for investors eager to hear about his company's plans for its heart pill, while Orchard made a case for independence.

By Jacob Bell • Jan. 16, 2020

Galapagos finds a new normal at biotech's biggest dealmaking event

Though the Belgian drug company is tied to a 10-year, $5 billion research pact with Gilead, its CEO says there's still some "wheeling and dealing" left to do.

By Jacob Bell • Jan. 15, 2020

Astellas swoops in for Adaptimmune deal a day after positive data

For $50 million, the Japanese pharma signed up for three programs in a deal that could net Adaptimmune hundreds of millions more if all goes to plan. 

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 14, 2020

Biogen finds $75M home for Pfizer Alzheimer's drug

Having stepped back from neuroscience research, Pfizer will sell off an early-stage therapy to Biogen, which has made the space its central focus.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 13, 2020

After a record-breaking year, pharma M&A forecast to stay strong in 2020

A quiet start to the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, often viewed as a gauge of dealmaking interest, could spark some doubts, however. 

By Andrew Dunn • Jan. 13, 2020

Lilly to buy Dermira, challenging Sanofi and Regeneron's Dupixent

With the industry's first significant acquisition of 2020, Lilly is positioning itself to compete in the growing atopic dermatitis market.

By Andrew Dunn • Jan. 10, 2020

AbbVie to house Allergan Botox business in separate unit

Allergan's eyecare and specialty drugs, however, will be folded into the existing AbbVie organization once its $63 billion acquisition is complete.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 8, 2020

Merck adds to lung cancer wall with Otsuka deal

The $50 million deal with two Japanese biotechs is a small bet to match challengers in Amgen and Mirati, who are advancing agents targeting KRAS mutations.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 6, 2020

Illumina scraps $1.2B PacBio takeover amid regulatory pushback

The FTC's action to block the deal comes amid heightened scrutiny of life sciences deals, most notably Roche's now completed buyout of Spark.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Jan. 3, 2020

Roche hands $1B to Sarepta in major return to gene therapy deals

The Swiss pharma acquired a muscular dystrophy treatment for markets outside the U.S. in a pact that could reach a value of $10 billion.

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 23, 2019

Biogen, Novartis go different ways on Ionis therapies

An Ionis Alzheimer's drug is getting licensed by Biogen at the same time that Novartis decided not to opt-in on an Akcea therapy for high triglyceride levels.

By Jacob Bell • Dec. 19, 2019

Jazz lines up $1B for lung cancer drug, making oncology focus clear

While the Irish biopharma is best known for its sleep drugs, this deal adds to a pipeline that shows Jazz's ambitions are in cancer.

By Andrew Dunn • Dec. 19, 2019

Global Blood taps Syros for its next act in blood disorders

Fresh off a sickle cell approval, Global Blood is looking to Syros' technology to keep up with the rapid innovation happening there and in beta thalassemia.

By Jacob Bell • Dec. 18, 2019

Roche's $4.8B deal for Spark cleared by FTC after long delay

An unconditional OK for the deal, which was unexpectedly the target of regulatory scrutiny, should ease sector-wide concerns about acquisitions of gene therapy biotechs.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Updated Dec. 17, 2019