Algeta ASA has confirmed receipt of a preliminary acquisition proposal from Bayer AG that values the company at NOK 336 (€40.5) per share. Bayer is Algeta’s partner for Xofigo, a new radiopharmaceutical for prostate cancer that has spread to the bone.
Barcelona-based Grifols SA has become a strategic investor in TiGenix NV through the purchase of new shares valued at €12 million. The deal brings Grifols, the world’s third largest producer of plasma-derived products, further into the cell therapy arena.
Mission Therapeutics Ltd of the UK has raised £20 million in a series B financing round to support the development of enzyme inhibitors that are thought to have the potential of targeting difficult-to-treat cancers. The enzymes are deubiquitylating enzymes involved in the DNA damage response.
A capital raising effort by Switzerland-based Cytos Biotechnology Ltd has been successful, raising CHF 24.3 million (€19.7 million) from the placement of 8.1 million new shares with existing and new investors. This was CHF 6.7 million more than expected.
Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH has secured a major research and development collaboration with Roche that will enable it to advance a promising therapeutic vaccine for gastric cancer into the clinic, and explore new therapies for prostate and non-small cell lung cancers.
Novartis is to sell its blood transfusion diagnostics unit, acquired in 2006 as part of Chiron Corp, to the Spain-based company Grifols SA for $1.7 billion. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2014.
Shire Plc has taken steps to strengthen its portfolio of drugs for rare diseases with the acquisition of the Nasdaq-listed ViroPharma Inc of the US which has a marketed product for the prophylactic treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE). The deal is valued at $4.2 billion.
Evotec AG has joined forces with one of the new Johnson & Johnson Inc innovation centres to identify targets for Alzheimer’s disease with a view to discovering and developing potential therapies that could affect early-stage disease.
Biocartis NV has raised €30 million in a Series E equity fundraising ahead of the 2014 launch of a suite of molecular diagnostic products aimed at the global oncology market. The round was entirely supported by existing investors.
ArGEN-X BV has recruited a new venture capital investor to its cohort of financial supporters enabling it to prepare to move a novel antibody fragment with potential for autoimmune diseases into the clinic.