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
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 »
