When he first stepped into the field of glycoproteomics, particularly the potential of truncated O-glycans as cancer targets, Constantine Theodoropulos, CEO of Go Therapeutics Inc., said the reaction from peers was less than encouraging. “They said, ‘You’re nuts, it’s too complicated.’” Now, however, the company he co-founded has landed a deal with Astellas Pharma Inc.’s immuno-oncology-focused subsidiary, Xyphos Biosciences Inc., that brings $20.5 million up front, with the potential for up to $763 million in milestone and contingency payments down the road.

Glaxosmithkline plc (GSK) pledged $2.1 billion up front and as much as $1.2 billion in development milestone payments to take over privately held Affinivax Inc. and bring aboard the phase II-stage, next-generation, 24-valent pneumococcal vaccine candidate, AFX-3772. London-based GSK is buying all outstanding shares of Affinivax, of Cambridge, Mass., for $2.1 billion upon closing the deal in the third quarter of this year, and two potential milestone payments of $600 million to be paid if certain pediatric development goals are reached.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s private equity arm has agreed to buy a controlling stake in specialty pharma Norgine BV from the company’s founding Stein family. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Atara Biotherapeutics Inc. is keeping the faith and figuring out next steps with its next-generation, mesothelin-directed CAR T-cell therapies after Bayer AG ended their exclusive worldwide licensing agreement, signed in late 2020. The setup included funding and development of ATA-3271, an armored allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, and an autologous version, ATA-2271, for high mesothelin-expressing tumors such as malignant pleural mesothelioma and non-small-cell lung cancer.

Turning Point Therapeutics Inc. has picked up near-global rights to develop and commercialize an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) targeting Claudin18.2 from Lanova Medicines Ltd. for $25 million up front. The deal excludes greater China and South Korea.

In a deal potentially worth more than $1.4 billion, Sichuan Kelun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has out-licensed a large molecule drug in cancer to Merck & Co. Inc. for development and commercialization outside mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

While biopharma mergers and acquisitions are at an all-time low, a company that stood in the front battle lines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic not only completed the top M&A so far in 2022, but it also announced plans for another mega-merger shortly thereafter.