Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. is building out its early pipeline beyond cystic fibrosis with the $950m acquisition of Semma Therapeutics Inc., a privately-held cell therapy company working in type 1 diabetes. Semma is pioneering a novel and potentially curative approach to treating type 1 diabetes based on the development of insulin-producing beta cells grown from stem cells that can restore insulin secretion.
Vertex Buys Semma, Gaining Cell Therapy-Based Type 1 Diabetes Treatments
Semma's innovative technology involves growing insulin-producing beta cells from stem cells and transplanting them into the liver, but it hasn't been tested in humans yet.
More from Deals
• By
Plus deals involving GV20/Mitsubishi Tanabe, Kaken/Alumis, AstraZeneca/Alteogen and deal terminations involving Clover/Gavi Alliance and Rhythm/RareStone.
• By
The obesity market leader has unveiled its second deal in days, paying $75m upfront for a potential first-in-class ACSL5 inhibitor, while the deal also provides some respite for Lexicon.
• By
Plus deals involving Relmada/Trigone, Alvotech/Xbrane, OPKO Health/Entera, iOncologi/TargImmune and more.
• By
Merck & Co., which already has an oral PCSK9 inhibitor in Phase III, licensed Hengrui’s Lipoprotein(a)-lowering small molecule HRS-5346 outside of Greater China for $200m up front.
More from Business
• By
Supply chain disruption fears at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic caused drug over-ordering. Imminent tariffs on drugs may have had a similar effect on pharma sales in Q1 earnings season.
• By
Stock prices plummeted, particularly for vaccine makers and cell and gene therapy developers, after the US FDA’s top biologics overseer resigned over vaccine misinformation concerns.
• By
Seeking cell therapy approaches to cure type 1 diabetes, Vertex abandons a candidate encapsulated to avoid immune system detection but hopes to file another candidate for approval in 2026.