Sanofi SA made good on its plan to bear down on M&A by agreeing to buy Vigil Neuroscience Inc. for $8 per share (NASDAQ:VIGL). Included in the transaction is a non-tradeable contingent value right entitling the holder to potentially collect $2 per share more in cash, payable following the first commercial sale of the phase II-ready VG-3927, a small-molecule triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) antagonist for Alzheimer’s disease, if achieved within a specific period. Watertown, Mass.-based Vigil’s stock closed May 22 at $7.88, up $5.57, or 241%.

Orionis Biosciences Inc. is sticking with Genentech Inc. in a second deal to discover small-molecule monovalent glue therapies for treating cancer. Privately held Orionis is getting $105 million up front and could earn more than $2 billion in R&D, development, commercial and net sales milestones, plus royalties. The multiyear collaboration calls for Orionis to handle discovery and optimization of molecular glues, with Genentech in charge of later-stage preclinical and clinical development, regulatory filing and commercialization of any small molecules the partnership produces.

Pfizer Inc. is paying $1.25 billion up front and up to $4.8 billion in milestone payments to gain global, ex-China rights to SSGJ-707, a PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody from 3Sbio Inc. that recently won China clearance for a phase III study in lung cancer as a potential first-line monotherapy. Announced after U.S. market hours May 19, the exclusive agreement for SSGJ-707 spells up to $6.15 billion combined for Shenyang, China-based 3Sbio, along with separate tiered double-digit royalty payments on sales of SSGJ-707, if approved.

The merger of Protagenic Therapeutics Inc. and Phytanix Bio Inc. combines two different approaches to treating obesity and metabolic issues. The all-stock deal will merge Protagenic’s peptide candidate in IND-enabling development for treating depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder and additional indications, along with Phytanix’s cannabinoid and cannabinoid-like molecules for bladder pain syndrome and treatment-resistant focal seizures.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. was the successful bidder for 23andme Holding Co.’s personal genome service, total health and research services business lines, including its biobank and associated assets, in the bankruptcy auction to sell 23andme's assets.

It’s been a big week for Inozyme Pharma Inc. On the heels of a promising interim readout for phase III-stage enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) candidate INZ-701 in ENPP1 deficiency, the firm agreed to be acquired by Biomarin Pharmaceuticals Inc. in a deal valued at about $270 million, putting the rare disease ERT in the hands of an experienced commercial team.

Rznomics Inc. scored a potential ₩1.9 trillion (US$1.35 billion) global license option agreement with Eli Lilly and Co. to codevelop a novel RNA editing gene therapy to treat hereditary hearing loss.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) gained another vote of confidence, albeit back end-loaded, from big pharma as privately held Adarx Pharmaceuticals Inc. signed a deal with Abbvie Inc. related to disease areas that include neuroscience, immunology, and oncology.

In a deal that could top out at about $2.2 billion, Septerna Inc. is getting $200 million up front from Novo Nordisk A/S in a collaboration to develop oral treatments for obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic indications. There will be four programs for discovering, developing and commercializing small molecules targeting G protein-coupled receptors, which includes GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors, with both companies putting their shoulders to conducting research from discovery to choice of candidate.