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.
Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. signed a $170 million deal to acquire all the outstanding shares of molecular diagnostics subsidiary Curiosity Diagnostics SpZoo from Scope Fluidics SA. The deal consists of approximately $100 million in cash and up to $70 million in future milestone payments. The pre-commercial platform company is the developer of a CE-marked 15-minute point-of-care (POC) rapid PCR system which tests for SARS-CoV-2 virus and methicillin-resistant or-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA/MSSA).
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.
Conmed Corp. is acquiring soft tissue augmentation company Biorez Inc. for $85 million and up to an additional $165 million in growth-based earnout payments over a four-year period. The New Haven, Conn.-based company develops Biobrace, a bioinductive implant which promotes soft tissue healing in tendon and ligament injuries. The implant is cleared for use by the U.S. FDA in two product sizes.
Perkinelmer Inc. agreed to divest three businesses in a sale to private equity firm New Mountain Capital for $2.45 billion in cash to create a “pure-play, high growth, high margin life sciences and diagnostics company with unique scale,” said Perkinelmer president and CEO Prahlad Singh.
Think Surgical Inc. is deepening ties with South Korean company Curexo Inc. through a new development and distribution deal. Under the terms of the agreement, Think will have exclusive rights to distribute Curexo’s Cuvis-Joint robotic platform, including any additional technology, in the U.S. and other countries. The orthopedic robot is currently used by surgeons in Korea and India for pre-planning surgery.
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