Astellas is shifting its investment focus toward more established modalities and later-stage opportunities, its chief strategy officer said. Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma is being sold to Bain Capital for about $3.3 billion. Eisai expects a Leqembi "expansion phase" on the horizon. And more.
1. Astellas shifts investment focus to later-stage opportunities amid reprioritization
Despite Astellas' early-stage programs in novel technologies, the company is trying to spend more energy on more established therapeutic approaches, the company’s chief strategy officer Adam Pearson said. As part of an R&D repriortization exercise, Astellas will “generally shift our resources to focus on slightly later-stage opportunities,” he explained.
2. Bain throws down $3.3B to acquire Japan's Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma
After reports of buyout talks, Bain Capital has inked a deal to acquire Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma from the Japanese drugmaker’s parent, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, for 510 billion Japanese yen ($3.3 billion). During the last nine months of 2024, Tanabe grew sales by 3% to about 2.3 billion, benefiting from Japanese sales of Mounjaro, which it licenses from Eli Lilly.
3. Eisai execs flag Leqembi 'expansion phase' on the horizon as Alzheimer's med grows slowly
After years of slow growth, Eisai expects its Biogen-partnered Leqembi is about to reach an “expansion phase.” Eisai’s chief operating and growth officer Keisuke Naito made that projection because the Alzheimer’s drug could soon have better blood-based diagnostics—versus PET scans or cerebrospinal fluid tests—and easier dosing formats.
4. Astellas' eye med Izervay lands key FDA label update, amping up market battle with Apellis rival
After an FDA rejection, Astellas’ geographic atrophy med Izervay has secured a much-needed approval that has now lifted a 12-month dosing limitation on the drug’s U.S. label. After a November complete response letter, Astellas noted that many doctors had paused Izervay use for patients who reached the 12-month mark, leading to a sales growth hiatus in the fourth quarter.
5. Illumina posts mixed earnings report while dealing with China tariff fallout
After China placed Illumina on a government watchlist, the DNA sequencing giant’s CEO, Jacob Thaysen, said it will “work through the current challenges with speed and hopefully get a resolution as fast as possible.” China currently contributes about 7% of Illumina’s worldwide sales, although its sum has been declining over the past three years.
Other News of Note:
6. Insilico Medicine provides benchmark timelines from its 22 AI-designed drug candidates
7. FDA slaps China-based API makers with separate warning letters outlining quality, testing shortfalls
8. Antibody supplier Bio X Cell beefs up international presence with new Beijing distribution center