DUBLIN – Mina Therapeutics Ltd. continues to make progress in its long-term ambition to establish small activating RNA (saRNA) as a new therapeutic modality. The biotech has now entered a multitarget research collaboration with Eli Lilly and Co., in which it is receiving $25 million up front and up to $245 million in development and commercial milestones per product.

China saw $28.5 billion invested in its life sciences sector in 2020, which was double the previous year’s amount and sets a five-year high. Partnering activities and IPOs also grew exponentially over the last five years to set records.

Becton, Dickinson and Co. (BD) has decided to spin off its diabetes care business, after nearly a century growing a broad portfolio of insulin injection devices. The transaction, which will result in a publicly traded company, tentatively dubbed Newco, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022.

HONG KONG – Olix Pharmaceuticals Inc. has entered an extensive research collaboration to test its RNAi therapeutic, OLX-104C, with Fimanac, PCI Biotech Holding ASA’s delivery technology for nucleic acid-based therapies, with the aim of reducing off-target effects while treating androgenic alopecia, or hair loss.

LONDON – Neogenomics Inc. reported it plans to acquire Inivata Ltd., taking up a $390 million fixed price option to purchase the liquid biopsy specialist eight months early. The option was agreed to in May 2020, when Neogenomics made a $25 million minority equity investment in Inivata and was granted the right to acquire the rest of the company by the end of 2021.

As investors await an MAA submission to the EMA for U.S.-approved Mycapssa (octreotide) in acromegaly, Chiasma Inc. disclosed its plan to merge with Amryt plc in an all-stock deal, thereby gaining a global commercial presence. Terms call for the exchange of each Chiasma share for 0.396 American depositary share of Amryt. The latter closed May 4 at $12.95, so the deal values Chiasma at $5.13 per share, an 81% premium over the previous day’s ending price, noted Piper Sandler analyst Edward Tenthoff. The stock (NASDAQ:CHMA) rose $1.14, or 40%, to finish at $3.98.

HONG KONG – Shionogi & Co. Ltd. has inked a multitarget drug discovery collaboration for Inveniai LLC’s artificial intelligence and machine learning platform Alphameld.

Soulbrain Holdings Co. Ltd. ramped up its unusual diversification program with the acquisition of Pixcell Medical Technologies Ltd. as part of the semiconductor company's shift into health care and in vitro diagnostics. The acquisition of Pixcell follows Soulbrain’s acquisition of Ark Diagnostics Inc. in 2018 as the company looks to the bio-health care industry as its "engine for new growth."

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (Labcorp) further consolidated its position as a leading provider of rheumatoid arthritis testing with a definitive agreement to acquire the Vectra assay from Myriad Genetics Inc. along with other assets of the Salt Lake City-based company’s autoimmune business unit in a deal valued at $150 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of 2021.