GSK, AstraZeneca explore continuous manufacturing in partnership with CPI

The companies are establishing a continuous wet granulation plant for small-scale development of oral solid dosage pharmaceuticals.

By Suzanne Elvidge • April 11, 2019

Alnylam inks broad R&D deal with Regeneron

Regeneron will commit $800 million upfront to combine its genetics and antibody know-how with Alnylam's RNAi expertise in a deal focused on neurological and eye diseases. 

By Andrew Dunn • April 8, 2019

Roche must ask Spark shareholders once again to sell

The Swiss pharma has extended its tender offer for its $4.8 billion buy of the gene therapy pioneer after failing to secure a majority of shares by a deadline. 

By Jonathan Gardner • April 3, 2019

Novartis bets $1.6B on a biotech's anti-inflammatory drugs

The deal hands Novartis a small collection of drugs that inhibit an immune-regulating protein, with potential uses across a wide range of diseases.

By Jacob Bell • April 1, 2019

Atlas Venture caps 'superb venture return' on Arteaus with $260M royalty sale

Arteaus Therapeutics sold its global royalty on Eli Lilly's Emgality to Royalty Pharma, adding a profitable endnote to the biotech's brief history.

By Andrew Dunn • April 1, 2019

Looking to boost cancer drug trials, Bristol-Myers sees promise in AI

A partnership with Concerto HealthAI could help Bristol-Myers design better studies. Yet details are sparse and AI's use in medicine remains emergent.

By Emily Mullin • March 29, 2019

Top Wall Street advisory firms back Bristol-Celgene deal, boosting prospects

While some Bristol-Myers institutional investors have opposed the deal, top proxy advisory firms recommended Friday that shareholders vote for it.

By Andrew Dunn • March 29, 2019

AstraZeneca inks ambitious $6.9B deal for Daiichi cancer therapy

The deal gives the British pharma access to an antibody-drug conjugate that the companies view as a challenger to several on-market cancer drugs. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 29, 2019

Thermo Fisher to buy Brammer Bio for $1.7B, expanding gene therapy offerings

The life sciences giant grows its ambitions in the pharma CDMO space with another acquisition, this time focused on viral vector production.

By Andrew Dunn • March 25, 2019

Pharmacquired: Biogen could use a big deal. Too bad it doesn't do those

Failure of aducanumab puts Biogen in a tight spot. A major buy could help, but finding the right target will be a challenge.

By Jacob Bell • March 22, 2019

Merck, NGM Bio extend research deal through 2022

Tucked in that announcement, however, was news Merck has handed back to NGM rights to two candidates for the treatment of obesity.

By Suzanne Elvidge • March 21, 2019

Pfizer makes sure it won't get left out of the gene therapy deal boom

The big pharma now holds an exclusive option to acquire all shares of a privately held gene therapy biotech based in France.

By Jacob Bell • March 20, 2019

Alexion adds to pipeline with 2 early-stage R&D deals

Research collaborations with Affibody and Zealand are the latest examples of Alexion's push to prepare for a future beyond its blockbuster drug Soliris.

By Kristin Jensen • March 20, 2019

Gene therapy progress spurs competition in biotech buyouts

Nightstar Therapeutics, the latest gene therapy biotech bought, fielded interest from four drugmakers before agreeing to an $800 million offer from Biogen.

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 19, 2019

Biohaven pays $105M for GW Pharma's priority review voucher

The purchase speeds up the regulatory timeline for Biohaven's oral CGRP drug — and could help it leapfrog Allergan's rival therapy, currently under review.

By Andrew Dunn • March 19, 2019

AstraZeneca inks microbiome deal with Seres

The three-year research collaboration will explore whether the microbiome could predict which patients respond to cancer immunotherapies.

By Suzanne Elvidge • March 12, 2019

Roche outbid competing biopharma to secure Spark deal

Spark reached out to three companies, including Roche, about possibly collaborating on its hemophilia A programs. The Swiss pharma, however, was more interested in an acquisition.

By Jacob Bell • March 7, 2019

Celgene checks regulatory box for key drug in Bristol-Myers deal

Recent shareholder opposition to the $74 billion buyout has pressured the companies, putting the buyer's rationale for the deal under a microscope.

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 5, 2019

Biogen avoids heavy manufacturing lift in latest gene therapy deal

Nightstar's therapies target the eye, which means delivery of the DNA-based treatments is less onerous than it would be in other tissues, Biogen argues.

By Jacob Bell • March 5, 2019

Biogen buys Nightstar in search of more eye gene therapies

Shelling out roughly $800 million, the big biotech will get its hands on two mid- to late-stage treatments that it claims could launch in the next few years.

By Jacob Bell • March 4, 2019

Bristol-Myers hits a bump on road to Celgene takeover

Wellington Management, the largest institutional holder of Bristol-Myers, said it doesn't support the mega-deal, a position that could unnerve other investors.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 28, 2019

Novartis moves forward on CV drug, paying $150M to Ionis, Akcea

The Swiss pharma will now take the lead on a Phase 3 cardiovascular outcomes study after mulling over Phase 2 data from November.

By Andrew Dunn • Feb. 26, 2019

Pharmacquired: What would a Clovis takeout look like?

Wall Street analysts suspect a potential suitor would be a large pharma with a presence in oncology but no access to a PARP inhibitor.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 26, 2019

GE selling off biopharma business in $21.4B deal

Danaher's massive buy bolsters its life sciences unit. GE, meanwhile, plans to strengthen its balance sheet with the cash infusion and is reportedly pausing IPO plans for GE Healthcare.

By Andrew Dunn • Feb. 25, 2019

Roche acquires Spark in $4.8B gene therapy play

It's the latest evidence of pharma's growing appetite to expand in a field where Spark has been a leader with development of its approved treatment Luxturna.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 25, 2019