Mergers and Acquisitions in Biotech
Mary Johnson (han at labome dot com)
Synatom Research, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
DOI
//dx.doi.org/10.13070/mm.en.14.3203
Date
last modified : 2025-09-30; original version : 2024-05-23
Cite as
MATER METHODS 2024;14:3203
Abstract

A select list of mergers and acquistions in biotech.

2025
  • September 29, Genmab to acquire Merus (Nasdaq: MRUS) for approximately USD 8.0 billion. Merus' petosemtamab is an EGFR x LGR5 bispecific antibody for the treatment of head and neck cancer.
  • September 22, Pfizer to acquire Metsera (NASDAQ: MTSR) for up to 7.2 billion. Metsera products include a GLP-1 receptor agonist and an amylin analog.
  • September 18, Roche to acquire 89bio (Nasdaq: ETNB) for up to approximately $3.5 billion. 89bio’s pegozafermin is an FGF21 analog currently in late-stage development for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in moderate and severe fibrotic patients as well as cirrhotic patients.
  • September 9, Novartis to acquire Tourmaline Bio (Nasdaq: TRML) for approximately USD 1.4 billion. Tourmaline Biois developing pacibekitug, a monoclonal antibody against IL-6 for treating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
  • August 25, MannKind to Acquire scPharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: SCPH). scPharmaceuticals markets FUROSCIX, an FDA-approved on-body infuser delivering furosemide, to treat fluid overload in adult patients with chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Furosemide inhibits kidney-specific sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter NKCC2.
  • July 9, Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, to acquire Verona Pharma plc (Nasdaq: VRNA)for approximately $10 billion. OHTUVAYRE ensifentrine from Verona Pharma is an inhibitor of PDE3 and PDE4 enzymes such as PDE3A and PDE3B.
  • June 17, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) to acquire Verve Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERV) for up to 1.3 billions. Verve's lead asset (VERVE-102) is an in vivo gene editing medicine targeting PCSK9 for the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia and other cardiovascular diseases.
  • April 28, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (DAX: MRK) to acquire SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SWTX) for $3.4 billion.
  • January 13, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) to acquire Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. for 14.6 billions. Intra-Cellular Therapies makes Caplyta (lumateperone), approved for schizophrenia and bipolar depression. Lumateperone has high binding affinity for serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (Ki = 0.54 nM).
2024
  • Nov 26, Roche to acquire Poseida Therapeutics (Nasdaq: PSTX) for approximately $1.5 billion. Poseida develops nonviral, allogeneic, T stem cell memory cells-rich CAR-T therapies.
  • Oct 28, AbbVie to acquire Aliada Therapeutics for $1.4 billion. Aliada uses a novel blood-brain barrier-crossing technology. Its lead asset ALIA-1758 is an anti-pyroglutamate amyloid beta (3pE-Aβ) antibody in development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
  • Oct 14, H. Lundbeck A/S to acquire Longboard Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: LBPH) for $2.5b. Its lead asset, bexicaserin, is an agonist for 5-HT2C receptor, and is being evaluated in a global phase III clinical program for the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and other rare epilepsies..
  • Aug 8, Pharmacosmos Group to acquire G1 Therapeutics (Nasdaq: GTHX) for $405 million. G1 Therapeutics' Cosela trilaciclib was approved by FDA on February 12, 2021 as the first therapy in its class to reduce the frequency of chemotherapy-induced bone marrow suppression in adults receiving certain types of chemotherapy for extensive-stage (when the cancer has spread beyond the lungs) small cell lung cancer. Trilaciclib is a transient inhibitor of CDK 4 and CDK 6.
  • July 8, Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: LGND) to acquire APEIRON Biologics AG, which holds royalty rights to QARZIBA (dinutuximab beta) for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma, for $100 million in cash. Dinutuximab targets glycolipid GD2.
  • July 8, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) to acquire Morphic Holding, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORF) for $3.2 b. Morphic's lead program is a selective oral small molecule inhibitor of alpha4 beta7 integrin for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
  • June 27, AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) to acquire Celsius Therapeutics for $250 million in cash. Celsius Therapeutics, a privately held biotechnology company, has a potential first-in-class antibody against TREM1 that has completed a Phase 1 clinical study for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
  • June 24, ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANIP) acquire Alimera Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALIM) for $381 million plus some payments based on revenue milestones.
  • June 18, Boston Scientific Corporation (“Boston Scientific”) (NYSE: BSX) to acquire Silk Road Medical, Inc. (“Silk Road”) (NASDAQ:SILK), a leading minimally invasive medical device company for carotid artery procedures, for $1.26 bn.
  • June 6, GSK (LSE/NYSE: GSK) acquired Elsie Biotechnologies, a San Diego-based private biotechnology company focusing on oligonucleotide therapeutics, for up to $50 million.
  • May 29, Merck (NYSE: MRK) to acquire EyeBio for a $1.3 bn upfront payment and up to $1.7 bn in future milestone payments.
  • May 28, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) to acquire Yellow Jersey Therapeutics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Numab Therapeutics, for $1.25 bn.
  • May 28, Japanese conglomerate Asahi Kasei to acquire Swedish biotech Calliditas Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CALT) for about $1.1 bn cash.
  • May 22, Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) to acquire Human Immunology Biosciences for $1.15 bn upfront and up to $650 million in potential milestone payments. Its lead asset, felzartamab, is an anti- CD38 monoclonal antibody that can deplete CD38+ cells including plasma cells and natural killer cells.
  • May 16, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) to acquire Proteologix (bispecifics for immune-mediated diseases) for $850 million in cash with potential for an additional milestone payment.
  • April 11, Eliem Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ELYM) to acquire Tenet Medicines. The combined company intends to develop an antiody against CD19 for autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, immune thrombocytopenia and membranous nephropathy.
  • March 25, Nuvation Bio (NYSE: NUVB) to acquire AnHeart in an all-stock transaction. The shareholders of AnHeart will own approximately 33% of the combined company and the current stockholders of Nuvation Bio 67%.
  • March 19, AstraZeneca to acquire Fusion for upfront and maximum potential contingent value payments of $2.4bn.
  • April 10, Vertex (NASDAQ:VRTX) to acquire Alpine Immune Sciences (NASDAQ:ALPN) for $4.9 bn in cash.
  • January 23, Sanofi to acquire Inhibrx for $1.7 bn plus additional cash consideration of $296 million upon the achievement of a regulatory milestone.
  • January 8, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) to acquire Ambrx Biopharma (NASDAQ:AMAM) for $2.0 bn.
  • January 8, Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) to acquire Axonics for $3.7 bn.
2023
  • Dec 26, Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) to acquire RayzeBio for $4.1 bn.
  • Dec 3, Roche to acquire Carmot Therapeutics (potential therapeutics for metabolic diseases including obesity and diabetes) for $2.7 bn and 400 million potential milestone payments.
  • Oct 3, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) to acquire POINT Biopharma for $1.4 bn.
  • May 1, Astellas Pharma (TSE: 4503) to aquire Iveric bio (NASDAQ: ISEE) for $5.9 bn.
  • April 16, Merck (NYSE: MRK) to acquire Prometheus Biosciences (Nasdaq: RXDX) for $10.8 bn.
2022
  • November 7, Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS) to acquire Oyster Point Pharma.
  • April 19, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) to acquire Checkmate Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMPI) for $250 million. Checkmate's lead investigational candidate is vidutolimod, an advanced generation CpG-A oligodeoxynucleotide Toll-like receptor 9 agonist delivered in a virus-like particle.
2021
  • December 14, Global biotechnology leader CSL Limited (ASX: CSL; USOTC:CSLLY) to acquire Vifor Pharma Ltd (SIX:VIFN; ISIN:CH0364749348) for $ 11.7b.
  • September 30, Merck (NYSE: MRK) to acquire Acceleron Pharma (Nasdaq: XLRN) for $11.5 bn.
2018
  • May 8, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502) to acquire Shire plc (LON: SHP) for $62 bn.
2016
  • August 22, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) to acquire Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDVN) for $14 bn.
ISSN : 2329-5139