Biotech - Today Stories

Moderna has opened its Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre at the Harwell Science Campus in Oxfordshire, the first facility of its kind in the UK dedicated to mRNA vaccine manufacturing and research. The centre is part of a 10 year strategic partnership with the UK Government, involving more than one billion pounds of investment. The site has the capacity to produce up to 100 million mRNA vaccine doses each year, with potential to scale to 250 million in a pandemic scenario. It will support NHS vaccination programmes and allow rapid adaptation of vaccines for emerging viral threats. In addition to respiratory illnesses, the centre will focus on research into cancer, rare diseases and immune disorders. It has also secured a manufacturing licence from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare p…

Sanofi has announced a new commitment of $625 million to Sanofi Ventures, its corporate venture capital division, in a multi year allocation aimed at accelerating investments in biotech and digital health innovation. This infusion expands the fund’s assets under management to more than $1.4 billion. The capital will support emerging companies working in Sanofi’s strategic focus areas including immunology, rare diseases, neurology and vaccines. The company has also signalled an interest in new domains such as ophthalmology, neuropsychiatry and pain biology. Since its founding in 2012, Sanofi Ventures has invested more than $800 million across over 70 companies. Its structure is evergreen, meaning that returns from exits are reinvested to fuel future deals and maintain long term impact. Sano…

Pfizer has announced plans to acquire Metsera, a biotech firm developing next generation obesity medicines, in a deal that could reach up to 7.3 billion US dollars. The deal structure includes an upfront cash payment of 47.50 dollars per share, plus potential additional payments tied to future performance milestones. Metsera, founded in 2022, has no marketed products yet but is advancing a pipeline of injectable and oral therapies targeting obesity and metabolic disease. Its lead asset, MET 097i, is a long acting GLP 1 agonist that in mid stage trials achieved average weight loss of about 11.3 percent over 12 weeks. The company also recently disclosed positive Phase 1 results for an amylin analog candidate, MET 233i, which demonstrated up to 8.4 percent placebo subtracted weight loss at Da…

Eli Lilly has unveiled TuneLab, an innovative AI and machine learning platform that gives smaller biotechnology companies access to powerful drug discovery models built on over a billion dollars of Lilly’s research data. Engineered to level the playing field, the platform connects biotech startups to advanced capabilities previously limited to large pharmaceutical firms. Participants such as Insitro, Circle Pharma, Firefly Bio, and Superluminal Medicines can deploy Lilly’s models via a secure, federated system that protects proprietary data while enabling Lilly to refine and enhance those models using contributed insights. As part of its broader Catalyze360 program, Lilly integrates TuneLab alongside initiatives including venture investment, lab access, and R&D support. This combined s…

Highly experienced Chief Financial Officer set to drive corporate and strategic goals of Resolution. Accomplished Chief Business Officer will drive business development and partnering deals. Appointments follow the announcement of the first patient dosed and safety cleared in its Phase I/II EMERALD study. Edinburgh and London, UK, 10 September 2025 – Resolution Therapeutics (“Resolution” or “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on pioneering novel regenerative macrophage therapies to treat inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, today announces the appointment of Lucy Singah as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Daniel Kennedy as Chief Business Officer (CBO). Dr. Amir Hefni, Chief Executive Officer of Resolution Therapeutics, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lucy…

Novartis announced it will acquire Tourmaline Bio for approximately $1.4 billion, offering $48 per share, a significant premium over recent stock prices. The acquisition will provide Novartis access to pacibekitug, a promising anti-inflammatory drug candidate nearing Phase III trials for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Both companies’ boards have approved the deal, and Novartis will initiate a tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, after which Tourmaline will become an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Novartis. The move bolsters Novartis’ growing cardiovascular disease portfolio and aligns with its broader strategic focus. Analysts see the timing as logical, given recent strong Phase 2 data for pacibek…

Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with U.S.-based Braveheart Bio for its novel small-molecule cardiac myosin inhibitor, HRS-1893, currently in Phase III trials for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM). Under the agreement, Hengrui grants Braveheart Bio rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialise the drug globally, excluding Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The deal includes an upfront payment of USD 65 million – half in cash and half in Braveheart Bio equity – plus a near-term USD 10 million milestone upon completion of technology transfer, making an initial total of USD 75 million. Hengrui is also eligible for up to USD 1.013 billion in further development and commercial milestone payments, as well as royalties o…

Lundbeck is advancing bexicaserin - an oral 5‑HT₂C receptor agonist initially developed by Longboard Pharmaceuticals - for the treatment of severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), including Dravet syndrome and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome. Lundbeck acquired the asset through a ~$2.6 billion takeover of Longboard in late 2024. In a 12‑month open‑label extension (OLE) of the Phase 1b/2a PACIFIC trial, bexicaserin delivered a sustained and clinically meaningful reduction in motor seizures—median decrease of 59.3% from baseline. Participants who had been on bexicaserin from the trial start achieved a 60.4% reduction; those switching from placebo saw a 58.2% decrease. The safety profile remained favourable, with most participants completing the year-long study and common adverse…

AbbVie has agreed to acquire Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals’ lead investigational therapy for major depressive disorder, bretisilocin, in a deal valued at up to $1.2 billion. Bretisilocin is a novel serotonin 5‑HT2A receptor agonist and serotonin releaser that delivers shorter psychoactive effects while offering enduring therapeutic benefits. This acquisition extends AbbVie’s reach in psychiatric treatment development following a phase failure in schizophrenia—part of the company’s broader strategy to revitalize its neuroscience portfolio amid biosimilar pressures on its blockbuster Humira. Gilgamesh will spin off its remaining programs—including NMDA antagonist, ibogaine analog, and M1/M4 agonist pipelines—into a new company, Gilgamesh Pharma Inc. This definitive agreement builds on an earlier…

Kite Pharma, a Gilead Sciences subsidiary, has entered into a binding agreement to acquire Interius BioTherapeutics—a privately held biotechnology firm—for $350 million in cash. The strategic acquisition brings to Kite an innovative in vivo CAR‑T platform capable of creating CAR T‑cells directly within patients via a single intravenous infusion. This eliminates the need for the complicated and costly process of harvesting and engineering cells outside the body and may enhance treatment durability by integrating DNA into the patient’s genome. The deal is anticipated to lower Gilead’s GAAP and non‑GAAP earnings per share for 2025 by about $0.23 to $0.25. Upon closing - subject to antitrust clearance under the Hart‑Scott‑Rodino Act and other standard conditions—Interius’s operations and perso…

Royalty Pharma has struck a landmark agreement to purchase a royalty interest in Amgen’s lung cancer therapy Imdelltra for up to $950 million. The pharmaceutical financier will pay $885 million upfront to BeOne Medicines—which retains the drug’s commercial rights in China—and may acquire additional royalty rights worth $65 million within twelve months. Under the deal, Royalty Pharma will receive roughly 7 percent of global net sales of Imdelltra, excluding the Chinese market. Imdelltra, approved in the U.S. in 2024 for small cell lung cancer patients whose disease progressed after platinum‑based chemotherapy, has already shown remarkable clinical results. A Phase 3 trial demonstrated a 40 percent reduction in risk of death and a median overall survival of 13.6 months compared to 8.3 months…

Tiziana Life Sciences has reached a key milestone in its Phase 2a clinical trial of intranasal Foralumab for non‑active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (na‑SPMS). Patient dosing has now commenced at Yale’s Multiple Sclerosis Center, expanding the study’s reach beyond its initial sites and underscoring progress in the multicentre, randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled investigation. Launched in late 2023, the trial explores two dosing regimens of Foralumab against placebo, assessing effects on microglial activation via PET imaging, alongside standard measures of disability, cognition, fatigue, and quality of life. The inclusion of Yale adds to a network of major US research centres (including Johns Hopkins, UMass, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and more) enhancing the study’s…

Stoke Therapeutics and Biogen have initiated the global Phase III EMPEROR trial of zorevunersen (previously known as STK‑001) for children and adolescents with Dravet syndrome. This pioneering antisense oligonucleotide is designed to boost expression of the healthy SCN1A gene, potentially addressing not just seizure frequency but also cognitive and behavioral impairments. The study will enroll approximately 150 patients across the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Japan. Participants will undergo 8 weeks of baseline monitoring followed by 52 weeks of treatment, beginning with two 70 mg loading doses and transitioning to two 45 mg maintenance doses. The primary outcome measure is the reduction in major motor seizure frequency, with secondary outcomes assessing improvements in behav…

German pharmaceutical company Bayer and U.S.-based Kumquat Biosciences have entered into an exclusive global license and collaboration agreement to develop and commercialize Kumquat’s KRAS G12D inhibitor. Under the deal, Kumquat will initiate and complete the Phase 1a clinical trial while Bayer will assume responsibility for later-stage development and commercialization. The asset received FDA approval for its investigational new drug (IND) application in July 2025 and addresses KRAS G12D mutations—common in pancreatic, colorectal, and non‑small cell lung cancers, yet currently lacking effective therapies. Kumquat stands to receive up to $1.3 billion in milestones, upfront payments, and tiered royalties, plus an option for profit‑loss sharing in the U.S. This partnership aligns Kumquat’s d…

Almirall selects second target in AI Drug Creation collaboration Expanded collaboration builds on Absci’s successful de novo molecule design for difficult‑to‑drug targets in the first stage of the collaboration with Almirall   Barcelona, Spain, August 7, 2025 – Almirall (BME: ALM), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on medical dermatology, and Absci Corporation (Nasdaq: ABSI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing breakthrough therapeutics with generative AI, today announced the expansion of their ongoing AI Drug Discovery collaboration with Almirall’s selection of a second target aimed at dermatological indications. The expansion of the collaboration follows the successful delivery of AI-designed, functional antibody leads against a difficult-to-drug target—the fi…

Paris, August 6, 2025. Sanofi announces the completion of its acquisition of Vigil Neuroscience, Inc. (“Vigil”). This acquisition strengthens Sanofi’s early-stage pipeline in neurology with VG-3927, a novel, oral, small-molecule TREM2 agonist, which will be evaluated in a phase 2 clinical study in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the acquisition of Vigil’s preclinical pipeline will further strengthen Sanofi’s research in various neurodegenerative diseases.   In June 2024, Sanofi made a $40 million strategic investment in Vigil that included the exclusive right of first negotiation for an exclusive license, grant, or transfer of rights to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize VG-3927.   Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Sanofi and Vigil have agreed to…

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has struck a major licensing agreement with Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals granting GSK exclusive global rights—outside Greater China—to Hengrui’s clinical‑stage COPD drug HRS‑9821 along with 11 additional early‑stage programmes across respiratory, immunology, inflammation and oncology. The deal involves a $500 million upfront payment, with total potential milestone and royalty payments of up to $12 billion if all development and commercial targets are met. HRS‑9821 is a PDE3/4 inhibitor being developed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, intended to address persistent shortness of breath and provide maintenance therapy regardless of background treatment. Hengrui will lead early development of the 11 other programmes up to completion of phase I trials, while G…

One Biosciences, a Paris‑based precision oncology techbio spin‑out from Institut Curie founded in 2020, has secured €15 million in a Series A funding round. Co‑led by Redmile Group and Blast, the round also saw participation from Galion.exe, Invus, Adamed Technology, Sofinnova Partners, Polytechnique Ventures, and Kima Ventures. These funds will advance the clinical and strategic development of its flagship OneMap™ platform—an AI‑powered, single‑cell transcriptomic tool designed to decode tumour heterogeneity in routine biopsy samples. OneMap™ aims to deliver high-resolution tumour profiles within two weeks to guide treatment decisions, improve patient selection, support therapy development, and optimise clinical trials . One Biosciences has already raised over €20 million including seed f…

Sanofi is set to acquire London‑based biotech company Vicebio in a deal valued at USD 1.15 billion, with additional milestone payments up to USD 450 million pending R&D progress. The acquisition, expected to close in Q4 2025, adds Vicebio’s non‑mRNA vaccine candidates targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) to Sanofi’s portfolio. Integral to the agreement is access to Vicebio’s innovative “Molecular Clamp” technology. This platform stabilises viral proteins in their prefusion state, allowing the creation of fully liquid combination vaccines that are easier to store, distribute and administer in standard refrigerated conditions. The acquisition aligns with Sanofi’s ongoing push into respiratory vaccines—complementing its existing flu and RSV programm…

Thermo Fisher Scientific has reached an agreement to acquire Sanofi’s sterile drug product manufacturing facility in Ridgefield, New Jersey. The site, specializing in fill‑finish and packaging of aseptic injectable medications, currently employs over 200 staff who will transfer to Thermo Fisher upon deal completion. The acquisition is expected to close in late 2025 and aligns with both companies’ strategic initiatives to bolster U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing. Sanofi is ramping up investments in U.S. manufacturing and research, targeting at least $20 billion by 2030. Thermo Fisher, which is committing roughly $2 billion to enhance its domestic production capacity, views the Ridgefield location as a key asset. CEO Marc Casper highlighted that the acquisition strengthens Thermo Fisher’s a…