Finance, Grants, Deals

Lundbeck builds PD franchise with Prexton acquisition

Country
Denmark

H. Lundbeck A/S is to pay €100 million upfront to buy a six-year-old biotech that is developing a small molecule drug for treating the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). This will broaden its neurological franchise which includes PD.

Autolus files for potential US IPO

Country
United Kingdom

UK-based Autolus Ltd has made a submission to the US Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a potential initial public offering of its shares. As of 8 March, the timing and terms of the potential offering had not been determined.

Sanofi to transfer infectious disease research to Evotec

Country
Germany

Evotec AG is to gain rights to a group of infectious disease assets from Sanofi SA in a transaction that will see the German company become a research hub for the development of medicines for diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

Minoryx spins off asset into new Swiss company

Country
Spain

Spain-based Minoryx Therapeutics s.l. has spun out a platform technology into a new company, enabling it to focus on its lead programme MIN-102 for the treatment of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, a genetic disorder affecting the nervous system.

Novartis, Pear in digital drug alliance

Country
Switzerland

Novartis has announced a collaboration with Pear Therapeutics Inc to develop digital therapeutics for patients with schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis using mobile and desktop software. The new products would deliver clinically-proven treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy.

AstraZeneca creates newco for six biologics

Country
United Kingdom

AstraZeneca Plc has spun out six compounds from its early-stage pipeline in inflammation and autoimmunity into a new company in order to share the cost of development with a group of financial institutions. The stand-alone company has Series A funding of $250 million.

Gilead gains rights to gene editing technology

Country
United States

A zinc finger nuclease gene editing technology is to be used to develop ex vivo cell therapies for cancer, under a new research collaboration between the Gilead Sciences company Kite and Sangamo Therapeutics Inc.

Addex gets investor support for CHF40 million capital increase

Country
Switzerland

A group of international investors including New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has agreed to support a CHF40 million (€34.65 million) capital raising initiative by Addex Therapeutics Ltd to bring its lead product for dyskinesia into registration studies.

Roche to acquire Flatiron Health

Country
Switzerland

Roche is to advance its strategy for delivering personalised medicines with the acquisition of Flatiron Health Inc, a company with technology for analysing real-world data from cancer patients. Roche is to pay $1.9 billion for the 87.4% of the company it doesn’t already own.

Pieris raises additional money from US IPO

Country
United States

Following the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, Pieris Pharmaceuticals Inc has raised a gross $50.6 million from its initial public offering on the US Nasdaq market. This is an increase of $6.6 million from the time of pricing.