Takeda board lays out Shire integration goals

The Japan-based big pharma made unusual revelations of sales, profit and cost targets for its executive team as it attempts to digest Shire.

By Jonathan Gardner • Aug. 2, 2019

Vertex expects more, perhaps bigger M&A to come

Long the leading company in cystic fibrosis, Vertex's plans have expanded into new therapeutic areas, spurring greater interest in dealmaking.

By Jacob Bell • Aug. 1, 2019

How Mylan ended as a junior partner in its Pfizer deal

Following a failed deal for Perrigo in 2015, Mylan's fortunes turned south as change came quickly to the generic drug industry.

By Jonathan Gardner • July 30, 2019

Big pharma deals show industry's weak spots

Rather than a sign of strength, mega deals like Bristol-Myers' buy of Celgene hint at the industry's weak spots, with pricing joining a list that includes R&D failures and over-reliance on top sellers. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • July 29, 2019

Mylan's tumble ends with Pfizer rescue

A deal marrying Mylan with Pfizer's off-patent drugs unit will help prop up the struggling generics maker now, but long-term growth remains in question.

By Jonathan Gardner • July 29, 2019

Exact Sciences to expand testing reach with $2.8B Genomic Health deal

The Cologuard maker will add Genomic's breast and prostate cancer tests through the deal, targeting a market worth an estimated $20 billion.

By Maria Rachal • July 29, 2019

Neuroscience M&A is top of mind but a hard pill to swallow

Despite investors' hopes, deals for biotechs like Sarepta, Sage and Neurocrine aren't as likely because of ballooning market values and high clinical risk.

By Jacob Bell • July 29, 2019

MyoKardia cuts all ties to Sanofi

Buying back U.S. royalty rights could look cheap for the biotech if mavacamten turns out to be a blockbuster.

By Jonathan Gardner • July 18, 2019

Gilead, Amgen, J&J most likely to buy Otezla, Wall Street predicts

Analysts argue the inflammation drug, which Bristol-Myers has to unload to meet FTC demands, could go for around $5 billion to $10 billion.

By Jacob Bell • July 18, 2019

AbbVie bets on early immuno-oncology asset

Acquiring the private group Mavupharma brings AbbVie a small-molecule agent that acts on the so-called STING pathway.

By Jonathan Gardner • July 15, 2019

Gilead forges closer ties with Galapagos in $5.1B deal

Eschewing a buyout, Gilead head Daniel O'Day instead opted for a partnership approach in his first major development deal as the biotech's CEO.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Updated July 15, 2019

Roche acknowledges the obvious, extends Spark buyout deadline

"Good things almost always take time," Roche CEO Severin Schwan wrote in a note to Spark employees.

By Jonathan Gardner • July 8, 2019

BioPharma Dive's 10 biggest stories of the spring

Developments in gene therapy, cancer treatments, drug pricing and dealmaking kept the industry in the headlines.

By Jacob Bell • July 3, 2019

Array pushed Pfizer for a higher price to get deal done

Array is the third targeted cancer biotech acquired since December for which only one serious bidder emerged. Yet deal details show pharma as still willing to put up a premium.

By Jonathan Gardner • July 1, 2019

AbbVie deal for Allergan not about the taxes, thanks to 2017 law

AbbVie will stay in the U.S. if its deal goes through — a departure from Pfizer's plan in a failed 2015 attempt to merge with the Ireland-based Allergan.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 26, 2019

5 reasons AbbVie bought Allergan, and why they may not be enough

The $63 billion deal secures a post-Humira future for AbbVie, its executives argue. But such a massive acquisition isn't a sure thing to play out as expected.

By Andrew Dunn • June 26, 2019

Conatus hits all-time low as company explores strategic alternatives

In addition to a business review, Conatus said it will cut about 40% of its workforce in a restructuring.

By Jacob Bell • June 25, 2019

AbbVie buying Allergan in $63B deal for its post-Humira future

Unlike Bristol-Myers' takeover of Celgene, AbbVie's cash-and-stock offer for Allergan was not about R&D. "We're not betting on the pipeline," said AbbVie CEO Richard Gonzalez. 

By Ned Pagliarulo , Andrew Dunn • June 25, 2019

Bristol-Myers price for Celgene now includes Otezla sell-off

A Federal Trade Commission review spurred the divestiture plan, as the combined company would otherwise have two marketed drugs and one experimental project in inflammatory disease.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 24, 2019

Catalent to buy Bristol-Myers plant to grow biologics, European business

The deal also brings an assured customer, as Catalent agreed to continue manufacturing Bristol-Myers Squibb's products at the Italian site.

By Jacob Bell • June 19, 2019

Pharmacquired: Is $11B enough to secure Sanofi's spot in hemophilia?

Gene therapies and other long-acting treatments are threatening to outdate the drugs Sanofi got from its Bioverativ deal.

By Jacob Bell • June 19, 2019

Pfizer goes big on targeted cancer therapies with $11.4B Array buy

The big pharma said Array's scientists would remain independent post-acquisition, emphasizing the need to fill its pipeline with new drugs.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 17, 2019

UniQure shares hit record high after news report of potential sale

Wall Street analysts see the biotech benefiting from big pharma's interest in gene therapies.

By Andrew Dunn • June 17, 2019

Celgene dips out of deals ahead of mega-merger

Immuno-oncology deals between the company and two smaller biotechs have fizzled in the last week, fueling the notion Celgene will trim down partnerships as it comes under Bristol-Myers ownership.

By Jacob Bell • June 17, 2019

Moody's: Amgen, Biogen, Gilead have 'high capacity' to do M&A

The credit rating agency expects more deals across the pharma sector, with particular interest on targets that make cancer drugs or gene therapies.

By Jacob Bell • June 13, 2019