Takeda's long-time R&D chief Andy Plump will retire. Daiichi Sankyo beat back a $1.3 billion damage claim in a lawsuit. Samsung Biologics signed a $262 million contract with an unnamed client. And more.
1. Takeda’s long-serving R&D chief Andy Plump to retire in wake of pipeline successes
Takeda’s R&D chief, Andy Plump, M.D., Ph.D., will retire from the company in June 2027. After joining the Japanese drugmaker in 2015, Plump led an R&D transformation that elevated the company’s pipeline to more closely resemble those at other large pharmas. In a statement, CEO Julie Kim praised Plump for “creating a lasting foundation.”
2. Daiichi Sankyo wins $1.3B Tokyo court case tied to legacy Ranbaxy dispute (release, PDF)
A Tokyo court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Northern TK Venture, a unit of Malaysia’s IHH Healthcare, which sought 203 billion Japanese yen ($1.3 billion) in damages. The case was tied to Daiichi’s legacy dispute around its 2008 acquisition of Ranbaxy Laboratories. While enforcing an award from a fraud case against Ranbaxy’s previous owners, Daiichi intervened in a proposed acquisition of India’s Fortis Healthcare by NTK.
3. Samsung Bio, waiting to break into peptides, nets $262M manufacturing deal with unnamed EU pharma
Samsung Biologics has signed a new biologics contract, worth $262 million, with an unnamed European pharma company. The deal runs through the end of 2033, with production to take place at the CDMO’s sprawling campus in Songdo, South Korea. The deal brings Samsung Bio’s total value of contracts to above $21.9 billion, the company said.
4. Solstice rises with $225M series A to advance next-gen CTLA-4 immunotherapy into phase 2
Solstice Oncology has secured $225 million in series A to advance a next-generation CTLA-4 antibody licensed from China’s Harbour BioMed. The company paid $105 million up front for ex-China rights to the drug, called porustobart, and has moved into phase 2 development for microsatellite stable colon cancer, a cold tumor. The financing round was led by RA Capital Management.
Other News of Note:
5. Menarini signs $771M deal to take Gan & Lee GLP-1 to European market
6. Insilico’s co-CEO has big hopes that fibrosis drug can reverse aging too (The Wall Street Journal)
7. Daiichi unit American Regent recalls 3 epinephrine batches on particulate, leakage concerns