Pear Therapeutics Goes Public
Another week, another SPAC deal. Pear Therapeutics, Inc., a leader in prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs), has announced it is merging with Thimble Point Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: THMA), a special purpose acquisition company managed by the Pritzker Vlock Family Office. Pear develops clinically validated software-based therapeutics to provide better outcomes for patients, smarter engagement and tracking tools for clinicians, and cost-effective solutions for payers. The combined business is expected to have a pro forma equity value of approximately $1.6 billion. The new company, Pear Holding Corp., secured a $125 million PIPE from investors including 5AM Ventures, Arboretum... Read More »
Pfizer Acquires Amplyx Pharmaceuticals
After getting its Covid-19 vaccine to market in record time, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) is back on the acquisition trail. The pharmaceutical giant has purchased Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for an undisclosed sum. Amplyx Pharmaceuticals is a privately-held company dedicated to the development of therapies for debilitating and life-threatening diseases that affect people with compromised immune systems. Amplyx’s lead compound, Fosmanogepix (APX001), is a novel investigational asset under development for the treatment of invasive fungal infections. In addition to Fosmanogepix, with this acquisition, Pfizer has secured ownership of Amplyx’s early-stage pipeline that includes potential antiviral... Read More »
Sanofi Buys Tidal Therapeutics
The global pharmaceutical company Sanofi (NYSE: SNY) has announced the acquisition of Tidal Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sanofi is paying $160 million upfront and up to $310 million upon achievement of certain milestones. Tidal Therapeutics is focused on developing nanoparticles that deliver mRNA to reprogram immune cells inside the body with applications in oncology and immune diseases. The company was seeded by Mission BioCapital, and joined by RA Capital, New Enterprise Associates, the Myeloma Investment Fund, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation’s venture philanthropy, MRL Ventures and AbbVie Ventures. The new technology platform will... Read More »
Takeda Adds Maverick Therapeutics
The pharmaceutical giant Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (NYSE: TAK) is back with a new acquisition. The company has announced the acquisition of Maverick Therapeutics, Inc for a pre-negotiated upfront payment as well as potential development and regulatory milestones totaling up to $525 million. This acquisition follows a multi-year collaboration between Takeda and Maverick, signed in 2017. Maverick Therapeutics is a privately held biopharmaceutical company pioneering conditionally active bispecific T-cell targeted immunotherapies. Its lead candidates are MVC-280 (now TAK-280) and MVC-101 (now TAK-186). TAK-186 is currently in a Phase 1/2 study for the treatment of EFGR-expressing solid... Read More »