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Nanna Acquisition Gives Astellas Mitochondrial Expertise

Pays Up To $86m For Platform And R&D

 
• By Ian Haydock

Japanese firm pays cash plus milestones for UK specialist as it looks to integrate novel screening platform and gain know-how in mitochondrial modulators with potential applications.

Cell mitochondria
Cancer Is One Target Of Mitochondrial Regulation • Source: Shutterstock

Astellas Pharma Inc. has paid £12m ($14.9m) upfront to acquire UK bioventure Nanna Therapeutics Ltd. in a move that will give the major Japanese firm new expertise in age-related disorders related to mitochondrial dysfunction.

Shareholders in the Oxford-based firm, formerly known as Bactevo Ltd. and set up in 2012, are also eligible to receive future development milestone payments totalling up to £57.5m as part of the deal, routed through Astellas’s UK-based subsidiary Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd

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