Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd. has partnered with Amgen Inc. to jointly develop and commercialize KHK-4083, Kyowa Kirin’s phase III-ready anti-OX40 fully human monoclonal antibody for the potential treatment of atopic dermatitis. Kyowa Kirin will receive a $400 million up front, while milestone payments could add an additional $850 million. Significant royalty payments on future global sales could sweeten the blockbuster deal.

Morphosys AG is to acquire Constellation Pharmaceuticals Inc., financed by gambling a huge chunk of its income on the U.S. firm’s BET inhibitor pipeline drug – an approach that has to date produced mixed results in cancer.

Veracyte Inc. has agreed to acquire Haliodx SAS in a €260 million (US$318.1 million) deal to accelerate growth and strengthen its global footprint in cancer diagnostics. The cash and stock transaction will give Veracyte a manufacturing presence in Europe and expand its cancer diagnostics scope to eight of the 10 top cancers by U.S. incidence.

Pieris Pharmaceuticals Inc. is banking $20 million up front and could receive up to $1.4 billion more in preclinical, clinical and commercial milestones from a multi-program collaboration and license agreement in respiratory disease and ophthalmology with Genentech.

PARIS – Biosynex SA signed a binding offer to acquire 100% of the stock in Avalun SAS, a company developing the Labpad in vitro diagnostic device that provides rapid biological test results from small sample volumes. In Europe, Avalun is currently marketing a follow-up test for patients on anticoagulation therapy using antivitamin K agents, and a test for automated antigen detection for COVID-19.

Dariohealth Corp. agreed to acquire Psyinnovations Inc. (dba Wayforward), a behavioral health digital platform, for $30 million. The deal represents Dario's second of 2021, following the acquisition of the digital musculoskeletal company Upright Technologies Ltd. in January. The Wayforward transaction calls for $25 million at closing, with $6 million of that in cash and $19 million in shares of Dario common stock valued at $21.09 per share. In addition, Wayforward will receive another $5 million, if behavioral health revenues exceed a certain threshold in 2022.

Building on a deal first struck in 2019, artificial intelligence (AI) specialist Exscientia Ltd. has agreed to take responsibility for a multitarget drug discovery collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb Co. that could be worth more than $1.2 billion in all. The expanded collaboration, first established with BMS-acquired Celgene Corp., includes $50 million in up-front funding, up to $125 million in near to mid-term potential milestones, plus additional clinical, regulatory and commercial payments. It remains focused on small-molecule drug candidates in areas including oncology and immunology.