Big pharma is increasingly shopping in China to fill its pipelines as it faces looming patent cliffs on major blockbusters coupled with growing pricing pressures on drugs. China’s out-licensing deals grew to represent 32% of global deals in the first half of 2025, according to a Jefferies report on China dealmaking.
Respiratory vaccines specialist Vicebio Ltd. is to be acquired by Sanofi SA in a $1.6 billion deal, of which $1.15 billion will be paid up front. The acquisition rests on an ongoing phase I trial of the lead asset, VXB-241, a bivalent vaccine that is intended to provide protection against both respiratory syncytial virus and metapneumovirus. The interim analysis of the study showed a favorable safety and tolerability profile in adults, ages 60 and older, and validated the underlying vaccine technology, which is applicable to a wide range of respiratory viruses.
Big pharma is increasingly shopping in China to fill its pipelines as it faces looming patent cliffs on major blockbusters coupled with growing pricing pressures on drugs. China’s out-licensing deals grew to represent 32% of global deals in the first half of 2025, according to a Jefferies report on China dealmaking.
Heartflow Inc. continued the steady rhythm of med-tech companies filing to go public, with an S-1 submitted to the U.S. SEC on July 17. The company joins 15 others that have completed IPOs in 2025 and one other in process – Carlsmed Inc., which a company spokesperson told BioWorld is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq on July 22.
Med-tech publicly disclosed deal value reached just $5 million in June 2025, capping a weak quarter for the sector. Total deal value for the first half of the year came to just $320.14 million, with no single month crossing the $200 million mark.
Lumos Diagnostics Inc.’s stock shot up 162% Wednesday morning on news that it signed a pivotal commercial deal with Phase Scientific International Ltd to expand its reach into the U.S. market for its Febridx rapid, point-of-care test for bacterial infections.
Biopharma dealmaking gained momentum in the second quarter (Q2) of 2025, surpassing the previous quarter and staying well above the 2024 quarterly average of $57.63 billion. Total deal value reached $71.45 billion across 278 transactions in Q2, rising from $66.86 billion and 333 deals in Q1. The quarter also marked a notable jump from Q2 of 2024, when $55.3 billion was raised through 360 agreements.
Sino Biopharmaceutical Ltd. agreed to fully acquire Lanova Medicines Ltd. by buying an additional 95.09% stake in Lanova at a valuation of up to $950.92 million. Considering Lanova’s estimated cash and deposit of $450 million, Hong Kong-headquartered Sino agreed to pay $500.9 million to Lanova on the date of the transaction, set to close within 30 days of all conditions being satisfied, or July 31, 2025.
Carlsmed Inc. launched its IPO at a price of $14 to $16 per share for 6.7 million shares, which would raise just over $100.5 million at the midpoint. The spinal surgery technology company could well pull in more money, if recent history provides guidance. Most med-tech IPOs this year have settled at the upper end of their price range, with Caris Life Sciences Inc. notably raising its price twice before going public at $21, a dollar more than the top of its initial range.
Under a new licensing deal announced July 8, JCR Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. granted Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. rights to its adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids for use in up to five of Alexion’s genomic medicines programs.
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