Now that Roche Holding AG has digested its Foundation Medicine and Flatiron acquisitions from a few years ago, it has looked to add more digital capabilities in a couple of recent deals. The earlier big-ticket tie-ups by the Basel, Switzerland-based pharma added genomic and real-world data analytics to deepen the knowledge driving Roche’s R&D efforts, particularly in oncology.
Selecta Biosciences Inc., of Watertown, Mass., and Stockholm’s Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi) signed a licensing agreement for SEL-212, which is designed to control serum uric acid, reduce immunogenicity and allow for repeated monthly dosing when treating chronic refractory gout.
As the company gears up for two NDA filings this year, Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s $350 million deal with funds managed by Blackstone Life Sciences provides cash runway through the end of 2023.
In a bid to expand its presence in the cardiometabolic disease space and strengthen its core business in diabetes and obesity, Novo Nordisk A/S is buying Corvidia Therapeutics Inc., of Waltham, Mass., for $2.1 billion, which includes a $725 million up-front payment.
Dead cancer cells in the body are thought to help trigger an active immune response in oncology patients, particularly in combination with immunotherapy drugs. Some technologies, such as radiation and laser therapy, that kill cancer cells are being investigated for use in combination with immunotherapies. Well-regarded oncology specialist The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has partnered with Rakuten Medical Inc. to further advance one such technology, the latter’s photoimmunotherapy platform Illuminox.
DUBLIN – Shares in Genmab A/S gained 5% during trading on Nasdaq June 10 on news of an oncology alliance with Abbvie Inc., in which it is banking $750 million up front and up to $3.15 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestones for up to seven next-generation antibody-based therapeutics.
HONG KONG – China’s Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co. Ltd. has struck a deal with Merck KGaA for a clinical trial program in China to investigate the efficacy and safety of Junshi’s anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (MAb), Tuoyi (toripalimab) in combination with Merck’s Erbitux (cetuximab) as a treatment for recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN).
HONG KONG – Two Chinese biotech companies, Hutchison China Meditech Ltd. (Chi-Med) and Beigene Ltd., are teaming up to evaluate their therapies as combination treatments for several cancers and in different key markets.
BEIJING – Suzhou, China-based Innovent Biologics Inc. is known in China as one of the first drugmakers to launch a PD-1 monoclonal antibody. Now, the company is moving to expand its product portfolio and enhance efforts in developing bispecific antibodies and cell therapies in a potential multibillion-dollar deal with pharma giant Roche Holding AG.
LONDON – Evox Therapeutics Ltd. sealed a $1.2 billion collaboration with Eli Lilly and Co. to apply its exosome technology to the doubly difficult task of systemically delivering RNA interference and antisense oligonucleotide drugs, to reach central nervous system targets.
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