UCB SA has unveiled plans to acquire Zogenix Inc. in a deal worth up to $1.9 billion (€1.7 billion), adding to its portfolio an approved drug aimed at rare forms of epilepsy. Brussels-based UCB will pay $26 per share in cash for the Emeryville, Calif.-based biotech, plus a contingent value right of $2 per share, which would pay out upon approval of the oral drug Fintepla (fenfluramine) for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Sema4 Holdings Corp. sent a bold message to the market with a definitive agreement to acquire Genedx Inc. from Opko Health Inc. for $623 million. The deal comes as Sema4 winds down its COVID-19 testing by the end of March. The company has been one of the largest testing organizations in Connecticut since its first contract in May 2020, but has lately come under scrutiny because of an investment by Annie Lamont, the governor’s wife.

Peijia Medical Ltd. has acquired exclusive rights to Jenavalve Technology Inc.’s transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) products for the treatment of aortic regurgitation (AR) and aortic stenosis (AS). Suzhou, China-based Peijia is now able to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the TAVR products in Greater China.

Oslo-based med-tech company Observe Medical ASA has acquired ultrasound technology firm Biim Ultrasound AS for €18.5 million (US$20.9 million). The company’s combined portfolio includes Observe’s automated, digital urine meter, Sippi, and Biim’s wireless ultrasound probe, Biim, which received 510(k) clearance in 2018. The ultrasound technology is specifically used to guide needle and catheter insertions for dialysis and vascular access procedures and is currently in use at Fresenius Kidney Care’s U.S. dialysis centers.

Targeting the toxic alpha-synuclein protein found in the brains of people with Parkinson’s is one of the most promising approaches to treat the disease in the clinic – but getting any drug into the brain is a challenge. Sanofi SA has joined with ABL Bio Inc. to solve this problem, in-licensing ABL-301, a preclinical bispecific antibody that locks on to misfolded alpha-synuclein but also includes a molecular “shuttle” that allows it to penetrate the blood-brain barrier.

Shanghai-based Everest Medicines Ltd. has won exclusive global rights to a set of viral 3C-like (3CL) protease inhibitors from Singapore's national drug discovery platform, the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), in a deal worth up to $214.5 million.

LONDON – Evotec SE put the biggest ever headline figure on one of its pharma drug discovery collaborations, announcing a $1 billion deal with Eli Lilly and Co. in metabolic diseases. The Hamburg, Germany-based company will be responsible for the discovery of drug candidates for the treatment of diabetes and chronic kidney disease against targets identified by Lilly or Evotec, or sourced externally. Lily has rights to up to five programs, to be developed in the partnership and to take on any subsequent development, clinical validation and commercialization activities. The collaboration initially runs for three years.

Shanghai-based Everest Medicines Ltd. has won exclusive global rights to a set of viral 3C-like (3CL) protease inhibitors from Singapore's national drug discovery platform, the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), in a deal worth up to $214.5 million.