France’s Théa Open Innovation, a subsidiary of Laboratoires Théa SAS, terminated its licensing agreement with South Korea’s Olix Pharmaceuticals Inc., and returned global rights of Olix’s ocular small interfering RNA (siRNA) biologic agents, OLX-301D and OLX-301A.
Aprilbio Co. Ltd. saw its stock surge 30% June 20 after announcing a potential $475 million (₩655.88 billion) deal with Evommune Inc. for autoimmune disease drug candidate APB-R3.
Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd announced it will buy out partner Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc. for up to HKD$5.4 billion (US$691.7 million), according to a joint announcement on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Through a global rights agreement with Futuregen Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Abbvie Inc. continues to build its immunology portfolio to help offset losses from Humira as biosimilars tighten their grip on the mega-blockbuster.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has signed an option agreement to in-license Ascentage Pharma Group Inc.’s olverembatinib, an oral third-generation BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). If exercised, the option would allow Takeda to license exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize olverembatinib in all territories outside of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Russia.
Biopharma deal value surged in May to $18.76 billion, up 23% from April's $15.28 billion. This increase follows March’s $8.29 billion and February’s $7.76 billion, although represents a decline from January’s $27.9 billion. The monthly average for 2024 stands at $15.64 billion, compared to the $18.14 billion monthly average in 2023. Meanwhile, the value of biopharma M&As rose to $4.75 billion in May, an increase from April’s $1.33 billion, which was the lowest figure in nearly a year.
South Korea’s Imbiologics Inc. scored a potential $940 million (₩1.3 trillion) technology transfer deal with U.S. biotech Navigator Medicines Inc. for its bispecific antibody drug candidate, IMB-101 (Oxtima), to treat autoimmune diseases.
Arrivent Biopharma Inc. and Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. have signed a development deal that leverages Alphamab’s antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) research and discovery platform and could bring Alphamab up to $615.5 million.
Lotus Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is acquiring the Thailand business and commercial entity of Teva Pharma Thailand to expand its footprint in Southeast Asia.
Shionogi & Co. Ltd. has entered into an option agreement with Cilcare Dev SAS to acquire the exclusive license for the global development, manufacturing and commercialization of hearing loss treatment drug candidates CIL-001 and/or CIL-003.