Astrazeneca plc has exercised an option under its collaboration with Pinetree Therapeutics Inc. to obtain an exclusive global license to develop and commercialize PTX-299, a first-in-class bispecific antibody degrader targeting EGFR. The option exercise triggers a $25 million payment to Pinetree.

Kazia Therapeutics Ltd. has licensed a first-in-class SETDB1-targeted epigenetic drug development platform from QIMR Berghofer. The company acquired global rights to the SETDB1 platform, including the lead candidate MSETC, in exchange for an up-front payment and a tiered revenue-sharing structure aligned with development progress.

Haisco Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Abbvie Inc., granting Abbvie the exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize novel medicines for the treatment of pain globally, excluding mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Just over a month after emerging from stealth and disclosing a $150 million series A, Korsana Biosciences Inc. is making the leap to the public market via a merger with Cyclerion Therapeutics Inc.  The agreement, which is backed by a $370 million private placement from Korsana’s investors, solidly positions the newly merged company as it heads toward the clinic with KRSA-028, a next-generation shuttled antibody targeting amyloid beta for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and builds out a pipeline of neurodegenerative disease candidates.

Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Ube Corp. have entered into a license agreement for novel drug candidates discovered by Ube.

Enodia Therapeutics SAS has acquired Kezar Life Sciences Inc.’s assets from its Sec61-based discovery and development program, including clinical-stage KZR-261. Insights from Kezar’s Sec61-based programs will further strengthen Enodia’s core focus on Sec61-driven selectivity for targeting protein degradation.

Entering its first major cardiovascular disease collaboration with a biopharma company, while it advances two internal gene therapies, Tenaya Therapeutics Inc. signed on with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. to deliver up to 15 novel genetic targets that could lead to new heart disease medicines. The deal comes with $10 million up front, and up to $1.13 billion is available to South San Francisco-based Tenaya if all targets meet certain milestones, leading to approved therapeutics that Alnylam develops and commercializes.

Kairos Pharma Ltd. has entered into binding terms to acquire CL-273 from Celyn Therapeutics Inc.

Angelini Pharma SpA and Quiver Bioscience Inc. have entered into a collaboration and licensing agreement to advance novel therapeutics for genetic epilepsies. Under the multiyear collaboration, Angelini Pharma will leverage Quiver’s technology platform to gain deeper understanding of a broad set of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies.