Drug Discovery

Kalytera scraps pre-clinical programs in bone disease

Kalytera Therapeutics has announced the termination of its pre-clinical development programs in the treatment of bone disease to focus its resources on graft versus host disease (GVHD) and pain programs.

Inovio secures $56m from CEPI to advance DNA vaccines against Lassa fever and MERS

Inovio Pharmaceuticals has secured funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop vaccine candidates against Lassa fever and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

Orchard Therapeutics to buy GSK’s rare disease gene therapy portfolio

Privately held clinical-stage biotechnology firm Orchard Therapeutics has agreed to acquire the rare disease gene therapy portfolio of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Mylan bags license to commercialize Fujifilm’s Humira biosimilar in Europe

Mylan has acquired an exclusive license to commercialize a biosimilar to Humira (adalimumab), developed by Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics, in Europe.

Alexion to acquire Wilson Therapeutics for $855m

Alexion Pharmaceuticals has agreed to acquire Wilson Therapeutics, a Sweden-based company that develops therapies for rare copper-mediated disorders, for SEK7.1bn ($855m).

Mylan to buy global marketing rights of Mapi’s Glatiramer acetate product

Mylan has agreed to acquire global marketing rights of Israel-based Mapi Pharma’s GA Depot, a long-acting once-monthly Glatiramer acetate product.

Promethera acquires Swiss biopharmaceutical firm Baliopharm

Promethera Biosciences has acquired Baliopharm, a Swiss biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of targeted biological therapies for immune mediated inflammatory diseases and cancer.

AstraZeneca licenses Ionis’ NASH drug in $300m deal

AstraZeneca has licensed a fatty liver disease treatment IONIS-AZ6-2.5-LRx (AZD2693) from Ionis Pharmaceuticals in a deal that could fetch up to $300m for the California firm in milestone payments.

Novo Nordisk secures licence to EpiDestiny’s sickle cell disease program

Novo Nordisk has obtained an exclusive worldwide licence to EpiDestiny’s sickle cell disease (SCD) programme, EPI01.