Drug Discovery

Bristol Myers Squibb, insitro partner to develop treatments for neurodegenerative disorders

Machine-learning driven drug discovery and development company insitro has entered into a five-year collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb to develop treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.

Novartis collaborates with Molecular Partners to develop two DARPin therapies designed for Covid-19

Novartis and Molecular Partners announced a collaboration in the form of an option and license agreement to develop, manufacture and commercialize Molecular Partners’ anti-COVID-19 DARPin® program, consisting of two therapeutic candidates, MP0420 and MP0423.

Bayer to acquire Asklepios BioPharmaceutical for up to $4bn

German pharmaceutical and life sciences company Bayer has agreed to acquire US-based clinical-stage gene therapy company Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio) for up to $4bn.

Sirnaomics seals $105m Series D financing for RNAi therapeutics

Sirnaomics Inc., a leading biopharmaceutical company in discovery and development of RNAi therapeutics, announced today that it has sealed its USD$105 million Series D financing.

EffRx Pharmaceuticals signs exclusive license agreement with Diurnal for registration and commercialisation of Alkindi

EffRx Pharmaceuticals SA, a commercial-stage company that commercializes niche and orphan medicines in Switzerland and Europe, announced it has recently entered into an exclusive license agreement with Diurnal Group plc, a specialty pharmaceutical company targeting patient needs in chronic endocrine diseases, for the registration and commercialization of Alkindi for pediatric adrenocortical insufficiency (AI) in Switzerland.

Dren Bio announces a $60M Series A financing

Dren Bio, Inc., a company developing powerful protein-engineering technologies for depletion of cells, protein aggregates and other disease-causing agents, announced the closing of a $60 million Series A investment round.

Sanofi, Translate Bio mRNA Covid-19 vaccine candidate induced high antibody levels in preclinical studies

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines global business unit of Sanofi, and Translate Bio (NASDAQ: TBIO), a clinical-stage messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics company, today announced the preclinical results for MRT5500, a mRNA-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

Eli Lilly to buy biotechnology firm Disarm Therapeutics

Eli Lilly and Company has agreed to acquire privately-held biotechnology company Disarm Therapeutics for an upfront payment of $135m.

HitGen to acquire fragment and structure-based biotech company Vernalis

HitGen announces it has entered into a definitive agreement with Ligand Pharmaceuticals to acquire Vernalis (R&D) Limited, Cambridge, UK-based world leaders in fragment and structure-based drug discovery research.