Finance, Grants, Deals

At a time when Big Pharma is aggressively shedding research assets, venture capital firms with an appetite for risk are discovering new investment opportunities.

Dealmaking is at the heart of business development. But not all deals are the same. At a meeting of Bio-Europe in Hamburg, Germany on 13 November, business development executives from four companies talked about deals that have transformed their companies.

Novartis has expanded its strategic alliance with MorphoSys AG to incorporate the German company’s newest antibody library and antibody selection technologies. Financial terms were not disclosed.

AstraZeneca Plc has bought $25 million worth of shares in Regulus Therapeutics Inc in parallel with that company’s initial public offering on the Nasdaq over-the-counter market. Regulus is developing therapies targeting microRNAs, short ribonucleic acid molecules.

Johnson & Johnson Development Corp, a unit of Johnson & Johnson Inc, has completed the DKK 475 million ($82 million) purchase of 10.7% of the enlarged share capital of Genmab A/S as part of a previously announced collaboration.

Merck & Co. Inc has agreed to pay €110 million upfront to AiCuris GmbH & Co of Germany to gain access to its medicines targeting human cytomegalovirus, including a candidate antiviral which has been given ‘fast track’ designation by the FDA.

Addex Therapeutics Ltd of Switzerland has raised $10.3 million in a private placement of its shares with international, institutional investors to support the development of its pipeline of small molecule drugs based on allosteric modulation technology.

The non-profit drug developer, Aeras, has signed an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines SA to advance the clinical development of a new vaccine against tuberculosis. A Phase 2b trial of the vaccine is scheduled to start in Kenya, India and South Africa.

UCB SA of Belgium is to provide up to $4.5 million over three years to fund a new research project at Harvard University to study the human microbiome and its impact on the immune system. This is the company’s third research alliance with the US university.

AstraZeneca Plc is to pay $35 million upfront for exclusive rights to a Phase 2 compound designed to treat complications associated with end-stage renal disease and chronic kidney disease. Potential development milestones are valued at $237.5 million.