Similar to 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated both biopharma deals with nonprofit entities and grants in 2021. Combined, pandemic deals and grants account for 87% of the total value, but only 22% of the volume, for the year. Through the week of Christmas, BioWorld has recorded 388 grants for the industry, valued at $2.94 billion, and 845 bio/nonprofit deals worth $21.44 billion. Of those, 82 grants worth $1.4 billion and 194 deals worth $19.8 billion involved therapeutic and vaccine development or supply agreements for COVID-19.

Movendo Technology srl and Maragal Medical PC have collaborated to provide free community screening for the risk of falls for Massachusetts Medicare patients using Movendo’s Hunova robotic technology. Hunova performs a progressive assessment on seated and standing patients to evaluate their flexibility, strength and balance. The system also provides personalized rehabilitative therapy recommendations.

RTW Investments LP-backed Ji Xing Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has acquired greater China rights to Cytokinetics Inc.’s omecamtiv mecarbil in a deal worth up to $400 million.

DUBLIN – ITM Isotope Technologies Munich (ITM) SE has secured its first radiopharmaceutical licensing deal in China, a pact with Grand Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. involving two radiopharmaceutical candidates, as well as a companion diagnostic for one of them.

Legochem Biosciences Inc. has licensed out its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) LCB-14 to Iksuda Therapeutics Ltd. in the duo’s latest deal that is worth $1 billion. Daejeon, South Korea-based Legochem will receive $50 million in an up-front payment and near-term milestones, and up to $950 million in developments, regulatory and commercial milestones.

Quidel Corp. reported a definitive agreement to acquire Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Holdings plc in a nearly $6 billion deal expected to close in the first half of 2022. The $24.68 per share offered by Quidel represents a nearly 25% premium over Ortho’s closing price as of Dec. 22. Quidel will also assume $2 billion in debt. In addition, Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (Labcorp) said it would acquire Baltimore-based Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc., which offers a portfolio of genomics-based liquid biopsy and tissue-based diagnostic products, for $450 million in cash at closing plus up to $125 million contingent on achieving specific performance milestones. That deal is also expected to close in the first half of 2022, pending approval by both companies’ shareholders.

RTW Investments LP-backed Ji Xing Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has acquired greater China rights to Cytokinetics Inc.’s omecamtiv mecarbil in a deal worth up to $400 million.

DUBLIN – ITM Isotope Technologies Munich (ITM) SE has secured its first radiopharmaceutical licensing deal in China, a pact with Grand Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. involving two radiopharmaceutical candidates, as well as a companion diagnostic for one of them.

DUBLIN – Novartis AG is deepening its commitment to ocular gene therapy by picking up Gyroscope Therapeutics Ltd. for $800 million up front and up to $700 million more in potential milestone payments.

Becton, Dickinson and Co. (BD) completed its acquisition of Scanwell Health Inc., its partner in development of the smartphone-enabled BD Veritor At-Home COVID-19 Test, just in time for increased demand driven by the Omicron surge in the U.S. and plans to make the tests available for free by the federal government as well as several states and large municipalities. Currently, most of the tests distributed by governments are made by Abbott Laboratories, which received emergency use authorization (EUA) for its at-home test in March 2021.