Deal Watch: AstraZeneca Remains Busy In AI, Via Deals With Immunai, Turbine And Algen

 

Plus deals involving Takeda/Innovent, Genentech/Ventus, Sanofi/EVOQ, Novo Nordisk/Sumitomo, Lisata/Catalent, Boehringer Ingelheim/Accent, BI/Molcure, tech transfer agreements and more.

Ipsen Boosts Cancer Pipeline With ImCheck Buy

 
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The Paris-based group is paying €350m upfront to get hold of Marseille-headquartered ImCheck's acute myeloid leukemia candidate.

How To Score A Win With Real-World Evidence In India

 
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Bharat Serums showed it’s possible to score a regulatory win with real-world evidence (RWE) studies in India when it ran one leading to a label expansion for its mAb trinbelimab. As cell and gene therapies and rare disease drugs gain currency, sponsors could look at takeaways from the RhYTHM study.

Failing to Clinch Sale, Galapagos To Wind Down Cell Therapy Business

 
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Galapagos is closing its cell therapy business after a prolonged search for buyers, leading to job cuts and site closures in the US, Netherlands, Switzerland and China.


Industry Excellence Celebrated At Citeline Japan Awards

 
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Excellence, innovation and deal-making across the Japanese biopharma sector were celebrated at the Citeline Japan Awards 2025, held in Tokyo on 21 October.

China’s Next Wave Is First-In-Class Innovation

 

Drug development in China was a discussion topic at the BioFuture conference as the country’s R&D investments begin to deliver first-in-class medicines.

Stock Watch: J&J’s $5bn Product Predictions Meet Investor Skepticism

 
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Despite announcing sales growth that is currently weathering the storm of one of its biggest losses of exclusivity and a spin-off of its orthopedic division, J&J’s stock price weakened after its earnings announcement. Investors probably wanted more visibility on MFN.

Investors Show Faith In Faeth’s Cancer Metabolism Strategy As Data Read Out At ESMO

 
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Faeth Therapeutics raised $25m to complete a Phase II trial of its PIK3/mTOR-targeting drug combination in endometrial cancer and reported positive Phase II data at ESMO in ovarian cancer with half of the combo.


Genentech Adds Lupus Nephritis To Cancer Indications On Gazyva’s Label

 
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Seeking to compete with GSK’s Benlysta, the Roche unit obtains the first FDA approval of an anti-CD20 agent in lupus nephritis, a complication of lupus that can lead to end-stage kidney disease.

ESMO 25: Merck & Co Raises Hopes in Ovarian Cancer

 
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The company breaks new ground with Keytruda for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and unveils promising Phase II data on its Daiichi-Sankyo-partnered ADC raludotatug deruxtecan.

Quick Listen: Scrip’s Five Must-Know Things

 
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In this week's episode: big pharma still sees value in cell and gene therapy; what to look out for at ESMO; world first for Kelun’s TROP2 ADC; J&J expects alignment with White House policies; and industry uncertainties aired at BioFuture meeting.

ESMO 25: Novartis Scores Hat Trick Of Pluvicto Phase III Wins

 
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Positive data from the PSMAddition trial potentially doubles the number of prostate cancer patients eligible for treatment with the Swiss major’s big-selling radioligand therapy but a discussant at ESMO was not convinced by the study.


Asia Deal Watch: Chugai Teams With Rani On Oral Version Of Rare Disease Antibody Drug

 

Plus deals involving Astellas/Taysha, Haihe/Taiho, AimedBio/Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda/Nabla, CytoMed/TC BioPharm, Specialised Therapeutics/CanariaBio, UgeneX/AviadoBio, Lupin, Kissei/Searchlight, Kazia/QIMR and Prism/Servier.

Pressure On Novavax Could Mount As Shah Capital’s Push For Sale Draws Support

 
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The vocal shareholder tells Scrip that other investors have reached out supporting its push for a sale of the vaccine maker.

Hansoh/Roche ADC Deal Caps Chinese One-Day Licensing Spree

 

Multiple Chinese biopharma firms reach new deals with major Western and other partners in a spree of licensing deals over a one-day period, with ADCs, in vivo CAR and bifunctional fusion protein therapies among the target assets.

Viatris Looks To Expand Japan Presence With Aculys Acquisition

 
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Global generics-focused giant acquires Japanese venture with late-stage, two-asset CNS pipeline as it looks to build presence in Japan.


US Pricing Policies Poised To Shake Up Ex-US Playbook

 

Drug makers are reevaluating commercial opportunities outside the US in a post-MFN environment, according to experts at the BioFuture conference

Cash Bonanza For European Oncology-Based Biotechs

 
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Adcytherix and Step Pharma join Tubulis in raising funds for their cancer drug projects.

How Novartis Is Elevating CVD Outcomes, Driving ‘Personalized Access’ In APMA

 

Novartis’s APMA chief outlines the company’s tailored approach to deliver long-term outcomes, novel access solutions via innovative financing options and shape the CVD ecosystem in the extraordinarily diverse region. Partnering to build AI infrastructure is another key prong.

Phase III Success For AiCuris’s Herpes Simplex Treatment

 

The German company is now gearing up for a US filing for a product that overcomes drug resistance issues in herpes simplex, and which it believes could transform its business.