Prescribed Reading: AACR, Gottlieb and recalls

Scott Gottlieb faced a Senate committee for the top slot at the FDA, while data pours in from AACR and Mylan and GSK issue U.S. recalls.

By Lisa LaMotta • April 7, 2017

Novartis licenses bite-sized biotech's dry eye drug

The deal with Lubris Biotech adds another candidate to Novartis ophthalmology pipeline, which may help the company's struggling eye care business down the line. 

By Jacob Bell • April 7, 2017

5 years on: Good policy helps biotech

The trade association BIO celebrates the accomplishments of the industry since the advent of the JOBS Act five years ago. 

By Lisa LaMotta • April 6, 2017

RedHill acquires rights to medical food from Entera Health

In exchange for tiered sales royalties, the specialty pharma now holds exclusive rights to EnteraGam, a product that helps regulate bowel movements.

By Jacob Bell • April 5, 2017

Sucampo bolsters pipeline with rare disease buy

The biotech agreed to pay $200 million upfront for privately-held Vtesse and its rare disease drugs. 

By Suzanne Elvidge • April 4, 2017

Astellas buys Ogeda in deal worth up to $850M

The transaction adds a mid-stage candidate for the treatment of menopause symptoms to the Japanese pharma's pipeline. 

By Jacob Bell • April 3, 2017

Prescribed Reading: All the approvals

FDA goes on an approval spree, drug manufacturers toe the line on pricing, and Vertex has both good and bad news. 

By Lisa LaMotta • March 31, 2017

Mylan shutters Meda plant, cuts 90 jobs

The Decatur, IL plant, which came as part of Mylan's Meda acquisition, will finally shut its doors in 2018.

By Suzanne Elvidge • March 30, 2017

PureTech strikes development deal with Novartis

The biotech is licensing two of the Swiss pharma's mid-stage compounds for age-related immune decline. 

By Suzanne Elvidge • March 27, 2017

C4 and Alphabet's Calico hook up on aging

Google's sister company launched a five-year collaboration to find the secret of diseases of aging.

By Suzanne Elvidge • March 27, 2017

Prescribed Reading: Avelumab OK'd, Ultragenyx fails trial

As Washington debates healthcare, pharma continues to make deals and Pfizer joins the checkpoint inhibitor race. 

By Lisa LaMotta • March 24, 2017

Daré hoping to turn Cerulean from blue to black

The reverse merger comes on the heels of a big clinical failure for Cerulean, which announced in early February it was exploring a potential sale.

By Jacob Bell • March 21, 2017

Bristol-Myers broadens CytomX partnership, spending $200M more

Building on an earlier deal, Bristol will use with CytomX Therapeutics' technology to discover treatments aimed mostly at cancer targets.

By Jacob Bell • March 20, 2017

AstraZeneca taps Circassia to promote 2 US COPD drugs

The British pharma invested in a small biotech and passed off U.S. rights to two of its respiratory drugs as it continues to offload assets. 

By Lisa LaMotta • March 17, 2017

Prescribed Reading: CRISPR, Trump and FOURIER. Oh my!

CRISPR technology is moving into new therapeutic areas; we finally know the skinny on Repatha's CV effects; and potential budget cuts could hammer the industry. 

By Lisa LaMotta • March 17, 2017

Under fire, Marathon offloads Duchenne drug to PTC for $140M

Widespread criticism of a planned $89,000 list price for Emflaza had forced Marathon to pause commercialization. Now those headaches are PTC's problem. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 16, 2017

OncBioMune, EOC aim to develop gastric cancer drug

The commercialization deal is part of the Louisiana-based biopharma’s push southward into Mexico, Central America and South America.

By Judy Packer-Tursman • March 15, 2017

Does Ackman's exit finally signal a bottom for Valeant?

The spec pharma's biggest supporter sold off his stock position, despite claims of turnaround by the company. 

By Lisa LaMotta • March 14, 2017

Merck KGaA shopping biosimilars unit

Company CEO Stefan Oschmann told analysts the planned divestiture is part of German Merck's efforts to prioritize other drugs advancing through development. 

By Judy Packer-Tursman • March 10, 2017

M&A heating up among smaller I/O drugmakers

A new deal between Heat Biologics and Pelican Therapeutics underscores the desire among both large and small players to cement a place in immuno-oncology.

By Jacob Bell • March 8, 2017

Vertex fine tunes CF portfolio with Concert deal

The biotech will pay $160 million to pick up rights to Concert Pharma's Kalydeco variant, which Vertex hopes can help support once-daily dosing in combo regimens. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 6, 2017

VenBio grabs control of Immunomedics in latest twist

The Seattle Genetics deal is in limbo as the newly reorganized board ponders the next steps for the company. 

By Suzanne Elvidge • March 6, 2017

Otsuka acquires ADHD drug in $100M deal for Neurovance

The Japanese pharma has focused on CNS as a core therapeutic area, and the takeover of Neurovance will add a Phase 3-ready ADHD drug to its pipeline. 

By Suzanne Elvidge • March 6, 2017

Prescribed Reading: Icahn stokes M&A flames

The billionaire activist investor makes a new biotech hire; the CAR-T space heats up; and the FDA cooperates with EMA to improve manufacturing. 

By Lisa LaMotta • March 3, 2017

AstraZeneca, Sanofi partner on infant respiratory drug

Sanofi Pasteur is dropping at least $127 million to help MedImmune bring its drug for respiratory syncytial virus to market.

By Jacob Bell • March 3, 2017