JNJ Announces Multibillion-Dollar Takeover of Momenta
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) made a splash in the healthcare M&A market last week with its acquisition of Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTA). The global pharmaceutical giant announced on August 19 it is paying $6.5 billion in cash, or $52.50 per share, for Momenta, a 70.4% premium over Momenta’s August 18 closing price. Momenta reported a trailing 12-month revenue of $30.07 million. On the day of the announcement, Momenta’s share price jumped 69%. This acquisition provides an opportunity for the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of JNJ to broaden its market reach in immune-mediated diseases and drive further growth through expansion into autoantibody-driven... Read More »
AstraZeneca Strikes Another Collaboration with Daichi Sankyo
AstraZeneca plc (NYSE: AZN) has struck a new global development and commercialization agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Company (OTCMKTS: SKYF) that could be worth up to $6 billion. The agreement focuses on DS-1062, Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2)-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), and potential new medicine for the treatment of multiple tumor types. AstraZeneca will pay $1 billion in staged payments over 24 months, and up to $5 billion for the successful achievement of regulatory approvals and sales-related milestones. The companies will jointly develop and commercialize DS-1062 worldwide, except in Japan where Daiichi Sankyo will maintain... Read More »
Sanofi Inks New Licensing Deal
Just weeks following its agreement with Translate Bio (NASDAQ: TBIO) for COVID-19 vaccine development, Sanofi (NYSE: SNY) has a new agreement with Kymera Therapeutics Inc. Sanofi and Kymera are signing a multi-program collaboration to develop and commercialize first-in-class protein degrader therapies targeting IRAK4 in patients with immune-inflammatory diseases. IRAK4 is believed to play a key role in multiple immune-inflammatory diseases, including hidradenitis suppurativa, atopic dermatitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Kymera will receive $150 million in cash upfront and may receive more than $2 billion in potential development, regulatory and sales milestones, as well as significant... Read More »
Sanofi Pasteur Jumps Into the COVID-19 Vaccine Race
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine division of Sanofi (NYSE: SNY) has expanded its partnership with Translate Bio (NASDAQ: TBIO ) to produce a COVID-19 vaccine. The two companies are pursuing novel mRNA vaccines aimed at broadly addressing current and future infectious diseases, evaluating multiple COVID-19 vaccine candidates. They hope to conduct human clinical trials in Q4:2020 but are also advancing an mRNA vaccine development candidate against influenza through preclinical studies with clinical trial initiation anticipated in mid-year 2021. The original agreement dates back to 2018, when Translate Bio and Sanofi Pasteur entered into a collaboration and exclusive license agreement to develop... Read More »
