Mergers and acquisitions have been a regular staple in the industry, and throughout biopharma’s 40-plus year history we have grown accustomed to big pharmaceutical companies acquiring successful biotech companies in blockbuster transactions.
As always, the 32nd Annual J.P. Morgan (JPM) Healthcare Conference offered an unparalleled partnering playground for pharmas and biotechs. Although the big players generated most of the headlines, hundreds of smaller companies looked to JPM as the setting where they might punch their ticket to success.
After pocketing a $70 million milestone payment from partner Astrazeneca plc in November following the FDA’s acceptance of the new drug application (NDA) for lead compound naloxegol, Nektar Therapeutics Inc. turned to the public markets in a big way to advance its internal programs.
The take-home message from Thomson Reuters Recap’s analysis of 2013 biopharma dealmaking was no surprise: It was a very good year across the board for initial public offerings (IPO), M&A and licensing agreements. However, the analysis also suggested that pharmas and biotechs are beginning to dance to a slightly different beat.
SAN FRANCISCO – For Francesco De Rubertis, partner and co-founder of the life sciences practice at Index Ventures, each day at the 32nd Annual J.P. Morgan (JPM) Healthcare Conference started earlier and finished later than a typical day in his London office.
SAN FRANCISCO – Months after its initial public offering (IPO), Intrexon Corp. inked a string of exclusive channel collaborations (ECC) with biotechs of different shapes and sizes.
SAN FRANCISCO – Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. CEO Leonard Bell suggested Wednesday during his presentation at the J.P. Morgan (JPM) Healthcare Conference that the company’s investment in Moderna Therapeutics Inc. might not be its last significant business development move in 2014.
SAN FRANCISCO – Privately held Aduro Biotech Inc. reported that the Phase II trial of cancer immunotherapy candidates, CRS-207 and Gvax Pancreas, used in combination in metastatic pancreatic cancer was halted early on the recommendation of the data safety monitoring board and approval by the FDA after the study met the primary efficacy endpoint at a pre-planned interim analysis.
SAN FRANCISCO – Jacqualyn Fouse, Celgene Corp.’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, drew polite laughter in the overcapacity breakout session following the company’s presentation at the 32nd Annual J.P. Morgan (JPM) Healthcare Conference when she said “we might want to save a few things for our earnings call” on Jan. 30.
Immunomedics Inc. took a major step forward in its late-stage pipeline with the launch of the Phase III registration study of its pancreatic cancer drug, yttrium-90 (90Y)-clivatuzumab tetraxetan.
