Biogen’s Apellis Pharmaceuticals acquisition comes nearly two years after the drugmaker purchased immunology startup Human Immunology Biosciences. CEO Chris Viehbacher said Apellis accelerates Biogen’s expansion in nephrology, supporting a HI-Bio drug currently in pivotal testing for three kidney conditions.
Centessa Pharmaceuticals’ cleminorexton is part of the orexin agonist drug class, which could introduce a new approach to the treatment of narcolepsy and other sleep disorders. Acquiring Centessa brings Eli Lilly into a group of clinical-stage orexin agonist drug developers that includes Takeda Pharmaceutical, Alkermes, and Eisai.
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Gilead Sciences is acquiring Ouro Medicines, a startup developing T cell engagers for a range of autoimmune diseases. Separately, Gilead is negotiating a deal with Galapagos to share in the development and potential commercialization of the Ouro drug.
Novartis already markets the PI3Kα inhibitor Piqray for breast cancer, but acquiring a Synnovation Therapeutics subsidiary brings an early clinical program that the pharma company claims could be best in the class of next-generation therapies for the target. Competitors include Eli Lilly, Relay Therapeutics, and OnKure Therapeutics.
Waiv, formerly the diagnostics division of AI biotech Owkin, developed AI-enabled testing technologies that found use in clinical settings and in cancer drug research. Spinning out as an independent company enables Waiv to pursue its own growth strategy, co-founder and CEO Meriem Sefta said.
Day One Biopharmaceuticals is Servier’s biggest acquisition yet, topping the $2.4 billion it paid to buy Shire’s cancer business in 2018. Day One markets Ojemda, approved for treating pediatric low-grade glioma, the most common type of brain cancer in children.
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Boehringer Ingelheim receives rights to oral small molecules from Sitryx with potential applications in multiple autoimmune disorders. Depending on the progress of Boehringer’s research, Sitryx could receive more than $500 million.
Slate Medicines’ antibody drug is designed to block PACAP, a protein associated with migraines. The Phase 1-ready asset was licensed from China-based DartsBio Pharmaceuticals.
Korsana Biosciences’ preclinical Alzheimer’s disease drug comes from a platform technology that enables antibodies to cross the blood-brain barrier. Roche and AbbVie have clinical-stage drugs taking a similar approach to Alzheimer’s.
Orna Therapeutics brings Eli Lilly an in vivo cell therapy ready for Phase 1 testing as a potential treatment for autoimmune diseases. Lilly is now the latest pharma company to use M&A to enter this growing field, following deals made in the past year by AstraZeneca, AbbVie, Gilead Sciences, and Bristol Myers Squibb.
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AstraZeneca’s deal with CSPC Pharmaceutical Group includes a Phase 1-ready obesity drug that hits the same targets as Eli Lilly’s obesity drug Zepbound, but with monthly dosing. The new collaboration builds on an existing drug R&D relationship between the two companies.
Fortitude Biomedicines is developing antibody drug conjugates that use targeted protein degraders as their therapeutic payloads. The startup joins a group of degrader ADC (or DAC) developers that includes Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer.
The contract research organization consolidation trend continues with Worldwide Clinical Trials striking a deal for Catalyst Clinical Research, which has particular expertise in oncology. Worldwide is a portfolio company of Kohlberg, a private equity firm.
Bristol Myers Squibb is paying $50 million to begin a collaboration with Janux Therapeutics, a company that develops T cell engagers that activate specifically at the site of the tumor. It’s the second big pharma alliance for Janux, which has been working with Merck.