Merck in-licensed a preclinical oral GLP-1 candidate from China's Hansoh Pharma. Astellas doubled down in gene therapy with a viral capsid deal with Sangamo Therapeutics. Betta Pharma's Ensacove became the first innovative targeted lung cancer med developed by a Chinese company to win FDA approval. And more.
1. Merck & Co. boosts GLP-1 portfolio by paying $112M upfront for Hansoh's preclinical drug
Merck & Co. is paying China’s Hansoh Pharma $112 million upfront for an oral GLP-1 candidate, with up to $1.9 billion lined up as potential milestone payments. Merck hopes the preclinical project, coded HS-10535, could have a wide range of cardiometabolic benefits. William Blair analysts argued that the deal won’t preclude Merck from buying more programs in obesity.
2. Astellas pays Sangamo $20M upfront to improve neurological gene therapy capabilities
Astellas keeps investing in gene therapy. For $20 million upfront, the Japanese pharma is collaborating with Sangamo Therapeutics to initially use the biotech’s brain-penetrating adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid to help deliver gene therapy for one target. The deal could swell to $1.3 billion in milestones if Astellas opts to explore other neurological targets.
3. Playing catch-up with Pfizer and Roche, China-made ALK drug clears FDA in lung cancer
The FDA has approved another ALK inhibitor, Ensacove (ensartinib) from Betta Pharma, as a first-line treatment for ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. The drug represents the first innovative targeted lung cancer med developed by a Chinese company to reach the global market, although it’ll have to compete with in-class rivals from Roche, Takeda, Pfizer and Novartis.
4. Mitsubishi Tanabe draws buyout interest from Blackstone, Bain in potential $3.5B deal (Reuters)
Blackstone, Bain Capital and Japan Industrial Partners are among bidders for Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Reuters reports, citing three sources. A deal could value the Japanese pharma at around $3 billion to $3.5 billion, with binding bids due by Dec. 24, the sources told Reuters. Mitsubishi Tanabe sells the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug Radicava.
5. BeiGene inks $150M deal to follow cancer combo trail blazed by Amgen and Ideaya
BeiGene has licensed a MAT2A inhibitor from a subsidiary of China’s CSPC Pharmaceutical Group for $150 million upfront. The candidate, coded SYH2039, is being studied in patients with MTAP-deleted solid tumors, the same approach adopted by rivals Ideaya Biosciences and Servier. BeiGene plans to combine the asset with its PRMT5 inhibitor BGB-58067.
After emerging in September with a $370 million series A and two China-licensed T-cell engagers for autoimmune diseases, Candid Therapeutics has quickly signed three new collaborations. Two of the deals were with Chinese companies EpimAb and Harbour Biomed’s Nona Biosciences.
7. BMS regains China rights to RayzeBio candidate after $4.1B acquisition (release, Chinese)
Bristol Myers Squibb has regained China rights to RayzeBio’s ABZ-706, a GPC3-targeted radioligand therapy candidate being developed for liver cancer, from Ablaze. BMS also ended an agreement that previously allowed Ablaze to license up to four RayzeBio programs in China, including ABZ-706. No financial terms were disclosed. BMS bought RayzeBio for $4.1 billion earlier this year. In a statement, BMS said the new arrangement showed the importance of China to the company’s long-term growth strategy. Following its $13.1 billion acquisition of MyoKardia in 2020, BMS last year also regained rights to Camzyos in China and certain other Asian countries from LianBio.
Other News of Note:
9. Eisai unit hands over $46M for Japanese rights to Newron’s schizophrenia add-on
10. Trio of Indian drugmakers issue recalls tied to impurity, labeling issues
11. India's ACG kicks off operations at mammoth capsule plant in Thailand
12. Takeda casts a new line with first DTC campaign for HyQvia in CIDP