Drug Discovery

Merck to buy Peloton Therapeutics in £1.72bn deal

Merck has signed an agreement to acquire Peloton Therapeutics, a US-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm, in a deal valued at around $2.2bn (£1.72bn).

Ligand licenses VER250840 to Cumulus Oncology

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: LGND) today announced the signing of a license agreement granting Cumulus Oncology exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize VER250840, a novel, oral, selective, preclinical Chk1 Kinase Inhibitor discovered using Ligand’s Vernalis Design Platform (VDP).

ESSA Pharma to acquire Realm Therapeutics

ESSA Pharma announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Realm Therapeutics setting forth the terms of an acquisition whereby ESSA will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Realm in an all-stock transaction.

Takeda, Frazier Healthcare collaborate to launch Phathom Pharmaceuticals

Takeda Pharmaceutical and Frazier Healthcare Partners have announced a collaboration to launch Phathom Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel treatments for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and disorders.

New biotechnology holding company ElevateBio launches in Cambridge, US

A new biotechnology holding company in the form of ElevateBio has been launched in Cambridge, Massachusetts with an objective to develop a portfolio of cell and gene therapy companies.

Zymeworks enters its first ZymeLink antibody-drug conjugate platform licensing agreement with Iconic Therapeutics

Zymeworks has entered into a licensing agreement that grants Iconic Therapeutics non-exclusive rights to Zymeworks’ proprietary ZymeLink antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform for the development of its ICON-2 Tissue Factor ADC for cancer.

Spectrum announces asset purchase and license for immuno-oncology platform

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on novel and targeted oncology therapies, announced today the closure of an asset purchase and license agreement with ImmunGene, a privately held biotechnology company.

Magenta Therapeutics presents updated Phase 2 clinical data on MGTA-456 cell therapy

Magenta Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that the company presented Phase 2 clinical data on its cell therapy, MGTA-456, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Pfizer acquires clinical-stage biotech Therachon

Pfizer announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all the shares of Therachon Holding AG, a privately-held clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on rare diseases, with assets in development for the treatment of achondroplasia and short bowel syndrome (SBS).