Novo bets $255M on another obesity asset

Today’s Big News

Jan 23, 2024

J&J sees deal ‘opportunities’ in neuroscience and immunology post-Ambrx buy  


Sanofi inks $1.7B Inhibrx buyout, snagging rare disease drug but spinning out cancer programs


Novo Nordisk puts $255M on the line to bag another obesity asset, turning to EraCal for novel approach


Merck & Co. signs $220M macrocyclic peptide deal after hailing ‘next wave of drug discovery’


Two more pharmas practice their Accent, invest in $75M series C round 


Another big pharma competed for Karuna, submitting all-cash offer day before BMS deal announcement


Roche's Genentech spends $15M to rocket into GenEdit’s NanoGalaxy


NAYA buys Florida Biotechnologies for $20M to get hold of rare genetic disease drug 


Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker '24: Calluna launches with $81M; Accent adds on $75M

The Top Line Podcast: Don’t miss out on the newest episode. Listen now.

 

Featured

J&J sees deal ‘opportunities’ in neuroscience and immunology post-Ambrx buy

Johnson & Johnson CEO Joaquin Duato said he sees potential opportunities to bolster its neuroscience and immunology pipelines following the acquisition of Ambrx. The company recently paid $2 billion to acquire the ADC maker.
 

Top Stories

Sanofi inks $1.7B Inhibrx buyout, snagging rare disease drug but spinning out cancer programs

Sanofi has taken a surgical approach to its latest piece of M&A, agreeing to pay $1.7 billion to buy Inhibrx for below the market price but then spin out all but one of its candidates to create a new publicly traded biotech.

Novo Nordisk puts $255M on the line to bag another obesity asset, turning to EraCal for novel approach

Novo Nordisk has piled yet another obesity program on its plate. Seeking to build on its early lead in the blockbuster market, the Danish drugmaker has agreed to pay EraCal Therapeutics up to 235 million euros ($255 million) to work on a novel mechanism of action for controlling appetite and body weight.

Six key considerations for cell and gene therapy patient support programs

Cell and gene therapy patients often require support throughout their treatment journey. Learn key considerations for developing patient support programs.

Merck & Co. signs $220M macrocyclic peptide deal after hailing ‘next wave of drug discovery’

Months after hailing macrocyclic peptides as the “next wave of drug discovery,” Merck & Co. has pushed further into the space by penning a $220 million biobucks deal with Unnatural Products.

Two more pharmas practice their Accent, invest in $75M series C round

Accent Therapeutics has tacked on two more Big Pharma backers, with J&J's venture arm and BMS joining the biotech's $75 million series C. The startup previously added AbbVie as an investor and is more than three years into a collaboration with AstraZeneca.

Another big pharma competed for Karuna, submitting all-cash offer day before BMS deal announcement

Karuna Therapeutics was almost bought out by another large pharma that competed up until the last moment before Bristol Myers Squibb’s $14 billion proposal won out.

Roche's Genentech spends $15M to rocket into GenEdit’s NanoGalaxy

Roche is the latest large pharma to buy into GenEdit's nanoparticle delivery tech for gene editing therapies, paying $15 million upfront. The biotech previously added Eli Lilly as an investor and inked a partnership with Sarepta.

NAYA buys Florida Biotechnologies for $20M to get hold of rare genetic disease drug

Gene therapy developer Florida Biotechnologies is set to be acquired by fellow Floridians NAYA Biosciences for $20 million in shares as part of the portfolio-focused company’s search for disruptive clinical-stage therapies it can invest in.

Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker '24: Calluna launches with $81M; Accent adds on $75M

Welcome to Fierce Biotech's Fundraising Tracker, 2024's version.

FDA wants classwide boxed warning on all commercial CAR-T therapies amid secondary cancer safety probe

As many have feared, the FDA's investigation into secondary T-cell malignancies following treatment with existing CAR-T therapies is poised to lead to a classwide black box warning.

Lundbeck CEO eyes deals to bolster pipeline, complement growth drivers ahead of patent losses

The new chief aims to strike M&A deals that will fill out Lundbeck's early pipeline as the company leans on growth drivers Rexulti and Vyepti.

Biden administration reinforces reproductive health obligations for payers, providers

New letters and instructional materials out of HHS come amid reported contraception coverage barriers and escalating legal challenges over emergency abortion procedures.
 
Fierce podcasts

Don’t miss an episode

'The Top Line': A closer look at the bounty of new drug approvals in 2023

At Fierce Pharma, the arrival of a new year is synonymous with the release of our annual special report on drug approvals. This week on “The Top Line,” Fierce Pharma’s Eric Sagonowsky and Kevin Dunleavy, both instrumental in creating the special report, are breaking down the numbers and sharing key insights into the landscape of drug approvals in 2023. 
 

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