FTC demands could mean months-long delay for Roche-Spark deal

A rare "second request" for info on Roche's cash buyout tasks both companies with providing extensive documents and executive testimony.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 12, 2019

Sobi restructuring business around late-stage hematology, immunology drugs

By reorganizing its R&D, Sobi expects to save up to $32 million in 2020, money that will then go toward late-stage drug development.

By Jacob Bell • June 12, 2019

Merck to buy private Tilos in deal worth up to $773M

Founded three years ago, Tilos Therapeutics has an early portfolio of TGF-beta drugs that may now be tested as combination therapies.

By Andrew Dunn • June 10, 2019

Vertex sets sights on DMD gene therapy, joining crowded field

Cash-rich deals with CRISPR Therapeutics and Exonics could make Vertex a challenger to companies already in the clinic with muscular dystrophy treatments.

By Ned Pagliarulo • June 7, 2019

Fresh off being bought, Apceth preps to supply Bluebird's gene therapy

Apceth, now a part of Hitachi Chemical, will serve as the commercial manufacturer in Europe for Bluebird's just-approved gene therapy, Zynteglo.

By Jacob Bell • June 6, 2019

PE firm nabs Vibalogics, banking on demand for complex viral products

The deal brings 50 employees and a 27,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Germany under the ownership of Ampersand Capital Partners.

By Jacob Bell • May 30, 2019

Amicus widens UPenn gene therapy collaboration

The Galafold maker is looking beyond protein engineering as it tries to treat genetically driven metabolic disorders.

By Jonathan Gardner • May 29, 2019

Evotec to buy Just Biotherapeutics for up to $90M

The purchase offers Germany-based Evotec some new technology as well as a stronger foothold for U.S.​ growth.

By Kristin Jensen • May 23, 2019

WuXi Biologics building dedicated facility to supply 'global vaccine leader'

Though the Chinese company didn't name its latest partner, it did say the pair have in place a 20-year manufacturing contract worth more than $3 billion.

By Kristin Jensen • May 23, 2019

Merck puts $1B more into oncology, with kidney cancer a focus

Acquiring Peloton Therapeutics hands Merck a small molecule medicine headed for a Phase 3 renal cell carcinoma trial later this year.

By Jacob Bell • May 21, 2019

UK charity sells Keytruda rights for $1.3B

A 2007 deal promised Lifearc royalty payments on the immunotherapy, which went on to become a multibillion-dollar product for Merck.

By Jacob Bell • May 20, 2019

Takeda offloads dry eye drug to Novartis for $3.4B

Cash from the deal will go toward paying down the immense debt Takeda took on to finance its $62 billion Shire acquisition.

By Jacob Bell • May 9, 2019

Gilead goes after a young biotech's data to break into kidney diseases

Per a new deal, Gilead will pay Goldfinch Bio $54 million to build out a registry with data from diabetic kidney disease patients.​

By Jacob Bell • May 8, 2019

Pfizer to buy Therachon for $340M, taking on BioMarin, Ascendis

Therachon has advanced an experimental treatment for dwarfism through Phase 1 testing. Pfizer said they will take it from there.

By Andrew Dunn • May 8, 2019

Lundbeck builds out brain drug pipeline with $250M acquisition

Purchasing Abide Therapeutics hands the Danish drugmaker a compound in clinical testing for pain, Tourette syndrome and a type of dyskinesia.

By Jacob Bell • May 6, 2019

Elanco trying to fetch more out of specialty veterinary drugs

Executives expect that buying Aratana Therapeutics and collaborating with VetDC will give Elanco a stronger foundation in one of the "fastest-growing segments in veterinary medicine."

By Jacob Bell • April 29, 2019

Roche's takeout of Spark not working like a Swiss watch

Antitrust review drags on, forcing the two parties to withdraw and refile paperwork and extend the tender offer by another month.

By Jonathan Gardner • April 26, 2019

Biogen points to M&A power as Wall Street presses for less risky programs

Executives suggested Biogen may find external opportunities in the areas of immunology and rare disease, but cautioned that the company was likely to continue its subtle spending strategy.

By Jacob Bell • April 24, 2019

Lilly selling antibiotic rights, manufacturing plant in China

As with other big pharmas, antibiotics have become less of a priority for Lilly despite global concerns over the need for new treatments.

By Jacob Bell • April 23, 2019

Lilly bets bigger on RNA drugs, with latest deal targeting immunology

For $35 million, Lilly gains access to a California biotech's technology platform that combines monoclonal antibodies with oligonucleotide-based therapies.

By Jacob Bell • April 22, 2019

$300M loan boosts launch of TherapeuticsMD hot flash pill

Bijuva marketing is beginning thanks to an immediate $200 million cash infusion, with the remainder released on regulatory and sales milestones.

By Jonathan Gardner • April 18, 2019

Gilead taps into machine learning to find new NASH drugs

A three-year research deal between Gilead and California-based Insitro aims to create disease models and discover targets for the fatty liver disease.

By Jacob Bell • April 16, 2019

Catalent to buy Paragon for $1.2B as gene therapy demand grows

The deal follows close on the heels of Thermo Fisher's buy of Brammer Bio, a peer of Paragon in making the viral vectors needed for gene therapy. 

By Jacob Bell • April 15, 2019

Gilead and Novo Nordisk pair up to take on NASH

Combinations are seen as the best way to combat the disorder, which is believed to be growing in prevalence thanks to rising obesity rates.

By Jonathan Gardner • April 12, 2019

Bristol-Myers wins shareholder backing for Celgene buyout

Opposition from Starboard Value and Wellington had lent some drama to the vote, which makes the roughly $74 billion tie-up between the two companies an all but done deal.

By Ned Pagliarulo • April 12, 2019