From Carl Icahn’s point of view, Illumina Inc.’s desired reintegration of its former spinoff is more a poisoned chalice than a holy Grail. In his opening salvo to a proxy fight, Icahn published an open letter March 13 to other Illumina shareholders referencing the “extreme displeasure” of investors with Illumina’s “reckless” determination to acquire Grail Inc., despite European regulators’ strong opposition to the deal.

Pfizer Inc.’s appetite for acquisitions shows no signs of abating as it announced this morning its plan to acquire biotech Seagen Inc. for a whopping $43 billion in a move that will double the size of its early stage oncology pipeline. Under the deal, unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both firms, Pfizer will pay Seagen $229 per share. Bothell, Wash.-based Seagen expects to amass $2.2 billion in revenue in 2023, representing 12% year-on-year-growth, royalties and collaboration and license agreements from its four, FDA-approved products for the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, antibody-drug conjugate drugs Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin), Padcev (enfortumab vedotin) and Tivdak (tisotumab vedotin), and tyrosin kinase inhibitor Tukysa (tucatinib).

Another step forward in the quest for an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) vaccine took the form of Merck & Co. Inc.’s deal with Modex Therapeutics Inc., owned by Opko Health Inc., to advance MDX-2201 worldwide, an arrangement that brings $50 million up front for Opko plus as much as $872.5 million in milestone payments along with royalties.

Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA has agreed to pay Affibody AB up to $214 million in a collaboration and licensing agreement to develop an inhaled treatment for respiratory diseases, with a further $423 million also in the cards if the deal is extended to two more programs. The fees consist of up front and milestone payments, based on certain development, regulatory and commercial achievements, with additional mid-single to low double-digit royalties on sales.

Abbisko Therapeutics Co. Ltd. and Allist Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. signed an exclusive licensing deal that gives Allist rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize Abbisko’s ABK-3376, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor for $188 million plus royalties.

Abbisko Therapeutics Co. Ltd. and Allist Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. signed an exclusive licensing deal that gives Allist rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize Abbisko’s ABK-3376, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor for $188 million plus royalties.

Confo Therapeutics NV is banking an up-front payment of $40 million from a licensing deal with Eli Lilly and Co. involving its lead asset, CFTX-1554, an oral inhibitor of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor, which is in phase I development for neuropathic pain. The deal includes up to $590 million more in potential milestones and tiered sales royalties. Ghent, Belgium-based Confo could also secure a further $590 million in additional milestones should Indianapolis-based Lilly elect to take forward an antibody-based inhibitor directed against the same target.