2024’s Busiest Dealmakers: Novartis Laps The Field, While Lilly, Sanofi Keep Busy

Novartis Joined By Roche, Novo Nordisk For Highest BD Spending

Nine biopharma companies made 12 or more deals, with Novartis inking 21 deals and leading M&A activity. Roche, meanwhile, spent little up front but maintained a hectic pace with 12 alliances.

With the business year almost complete, a review of biopharmaceutical dealmaking showed that Novartis, in particular, enjoyed a very productive year with 21 transactions overall, including six acquisitions. Next up in terms of deal volume during 2024 was Lilly with 15 deals and Sanofi with 14, followed by six familiar names with 12 transactions apiece.

In terms of aggregate deal value, three biopharma companies also stood above the pack, but not the same three, illustrating the variety of business development strategies within the sector. Roche (including subsidiaries Genentech and Chugai) topped the list with deals comprising an aggregate potential value of nearly $29

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