AbbVie Acquires DJS Antibodies for $255 Million

AbbVie Acquires DJS Antibodies for $255 Million

AbbVie has acquired UK-based DJS Antibodies for $255 million. DJS Antibodies Ltd. is a biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing antibody medicines that target disease-causing proteins, such as G protein-coupled receptors. DJS’ lead program is DJS-002, a potential first-in-class lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 antagonist antibody currently in investigational preclinical studies for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other fibrotic diseases. DJS is backed by founding investors Oxford Science Enterprises and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Ltd., along with LifeArc, Sedgwick Yard and Amgen Ventures. AbbVie Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that... Read More »
AbbVie Acquires DJS Antibodies for $255 Million

Pfizer Acquires Biohaven for $11.6 Billion in Its Biggest Deal Since 2016

On May 10, Pfizer Inc. and Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Pfizer will acquire all outstanding shares of Biohaven not already owned by Pfizer for $148.50 per share in cash, or approximately $11.6 billion. Pfizer had previously taken a 2.6% stake in Biohaven in November 2021 for $173 per share, or approximately $350 million. With this deal, Pfizer will compete in a crowded market for migraine treatments from other large drugmakers such as Eli Lilly and Amgen. The proposed transaction includes the acquisition of Biohaven’s calcitonin gene-related peptide programs including Rimegepant, which is approved in... Read More »

KSL Biomedical Expands into Canada with Pulse Scientific Acquisition

KSL Biomedical Inc. has entered the Canadian market with the acquisition of Burlington, Ontario-based Pulse Scientific Inc., extending its international base for product distribution and laboratory sales, while positioning KSL for future acquisitions in the Burlington/Toronto area and beyond. Pulse Scientific is a privately-owned incorporation founded in 1992 that specializes in the supply of laboratory diagnostic tests for medical labs across Canada. Some examples of these tests include Syphillis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, drugs of abuse and microbiological products. KSL Biomedical is a translational medicine technology company based in Williamsville, New York. KSL has been growing rapidly... Read More »
AzurRz BioPharma Acquires First Wave Bio

AzurRz BioPharma Acquires First Wave Bio

AzurRz BioPharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of targeted, non-systemic therapies for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire First Wave Bio, Inc. in a stock and cash transaction valued at $229 million. H.C. Wainwright & Co. acted as advisor to AzurRx in connection with the acquisition. Founded in 2015, First Wave Bio, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel, gut-targeted, small molecule therapies for the treatment of auto-immune inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and other serious conditions. AzurRx also announced that it... Read More »
Eli Lilly Acquires Protomer Technologies

Eli Lilly Acquires Protomer Technologies

The pharma giant Eli Lilly and Company announced a new deal last week, taking full ownership of Protomer Technologies for $1 billion. Founded in 2015, Protomer engineers next-generation protein therapeutics that can sense molecular activators in the body. The company’s proprietary chemical biology-based platform enables the development of therapeutic peptides and proteins with a tunable activity that can be controlled using small molecules. Protomer has used this approach toward advancing a portfolio of therapeutic candidates, including glucose-responsive insulins that can sense sugar levels in the blood and automatically activate as needed throughout the day.   Lilly previously led an... Read More »
Pear Therapeutics Goes Public

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 »