DUBLIN – Amgen Inc. is doubling down on its presence in the dyslipidemia market by acquiring Dezima Pharma BV for $300 million up front plus up to $1.25 billion more in development and commercial milestones, as well as sales royalties.
DUBLIN – Sanofi SA remains on track to complete a fourth-quarter regulatory submission of Lixilan, a fixed-ratio combination of its basal insulin (Lantus; insulin glargine) and its glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist Lyxumia (lixisenatide), on the back of a positive readout from the second of two phase III trials in type 2 diabetes patients.
DUBLIN – Forbion Capital Partners closed its third co-investment fund at €75 million (US$85 million), with the cash earmarked for up to six pre-selected, late-stage portfolio firms in need of growth capital before an exit.
DUBLIN – European biotechnology continued its strong post-summer momentum, with two private equity deals disclosed Tuesday, a €36.6 million (US$41 million) series C round at Spanish firm Laboratoris Sanifit S.L. and a $21 million series A round at London-based Reviral Ltd.
DUBLIN – With little appetite for biotech in its home market, Finnish biotech firm Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy is seeking £20 million (US$30.5 million) in an IPO on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange, to fund a phase III trial of its lead drug, Traumakine (FP-1201, interfero-beta-1a), in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
DUBLIN – European life sciences firms raised €23 million (US$26 million) in 42 crowdfunding campaigns over the last five years, according to the first ever analysis of the field, published last week by Biocom AG, a Berlin-based consultancy and research firm.
DUBLIN – Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg helped focus a spotlight on Norway’s emerging oncology cluster this week by performing the official opening of the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, the first stage in an ambitious program to bring together in a single setting a critical mass in cancer research, education and cancer-related commercial biotechnology.
DUBLIN – Genmab A/S's Duobody bispecific antibody technology received a stamp of approval from the big Kahuna of Danish biopharmas, Novo Nordisk A/S, which is in-licensing two programs that address two different target combinations, in a deal potentially worth up to $500 million in development, regulatory and sales milestones, as well as $2 million up front.
DUBLIN – Cytos Biotechnology AG out-licensed all oncology applications of its immuno-stimulatory therapeutic vaccine CYT003 and its underlying phage Qbeta-based virus-like particle (VLP) technology to start-up cancer immunotherapy firm Checkmate Pharmaceuticals Inc., in a deal worth up to $90 million in milestones plus double-digit royalties on eventual product sales.
