Shionogi & Co. Ltd. has in-licensed Japan rights to Grunenthal GmbH’s intra-articular injectable, resiniferatoxin, for the treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Currently in phase III trials, RTX is a transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 agonist, which can reversibly desensitize TRPV1-expressing nociceptors. This mechanism may result in long-lasting pain relief.
While biopharma M&As fail to keep up with prior years, the dealmaking environment remains strong, as deal values continue to grow. Through early August of this year, biopharma companies have completed 955 deals, including licensings, joint ventures and collaborations, valued at $114.5 billion, which is 7% more than last year ($107 billion) and 2% more than 2020 ($112.2 billion).
Gilead Sciences Inc. has bought the privately owned U.K. biotech Mirobio Ltd., paying $405 million for the Oxford-based firm and its checkpoint agonists to treat autoimmune diseases. Foster City, Calif.-based Gilead will gain Mirobio’s discovery platform and entire portfolio of immune inhibitory receptor agonists.
Amgen Inc. is paying $3.7 billion in cash to buy Chemocentryx Inc. The deal, with Amgen paying $52 per share for Chemocentryx stock, brings Amgen Tavneos (avacopan), a first-in-class medicine for treating antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, which destroys small blood vessels.
Genentech Inc. is paying Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals Ltd. $100 million in up-front and near-term payments for the development and commercialization rights to vixarelimab, a fully human monoclonal antibody. Kiniksa also could receive up to approximately $600 million in certain clinical, regulatory and sales-based milestones, as well as royalties on annual net sales.
Shares of Poseida Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:PSTX) closed at $4.51, up $2.08, or 85%, as a result of the collaboration and licensing deal with Roche Holding AG that brings $110 million up front as well as the same amount in near-term milestone payments described by CEO Mark Gergen as “highly achievable,” and the arrangement could be worth as much as $6 billion if goals farther down the road are met.
Apollo Therapeutics Group Ltd. has bought worldwide rights to Avalo Therapeutics Inc.’s anti-IL-18 antibody, camoteskimab, in a deal worth up $89 million, taking on development of the early stage drug for arthritis and potentially other diseases.
As Marengo Therapeutics Inc. gears up to start human trials with its lead compound, the company nailed down a deal with Ipsen SA worth $45 million up front and as much as $1.59 billion-plus in milestone rewards to advance a pair of candidates from the Selective T Cell Activation Repertoire (STAR) platform into the clinic.
Wall Street must wait to learn more about factors that might distinguish the Claudin18.2-targeting asset at the center of Elevation Oncology Inc.’s $1.2 billion license deal with CSPC Megalith Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd.
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