The Week In Biopharma, July 11 – 15

Contract Research (CROs)

• Eurofins Discovery Acquires DiscoveryBioMed (UK)
• CRO Inotiv continues M&A strategy with $11M Protypia buy (USA)

Contract Development and Manufacturing (CDMO)

• SIGA Technologies Enters Collaboration with KaliVir Immunotherapeutics (USA)
• Cytiva Invests in Resins Manufacturing Ops in Muskegon, MI (USA)
• Syngene Enters 10-Year Biologics Manufacturing Agreement with Zoetis (India)
• DTC genetics company Nucleus Genomics raises $18 million in funding in one year (USA)
• Viome Life Sciences Launches The World’s Most Advanced At-home Health Test (USA)
• Jubilant HollisterStier to pump $76M into Montreal facility (USA)
• George Church-founded protein therapeutics biotech Manifold Bio tacks on $40M in series A funds (USA)
• Grace Invests in Small Molecule API Expansion (USA)
• Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing Strengthens Testing Capabilities (USA)
• miR Scientific is proud to announce the commercial availability of the miR Sentinel™ Prostate Cancer Test (USA)
• ProBioGen, Granite Bio Enter mAb Development and Mfg. Pact (Germany/Switzerland)
• TrakCel Launches Updated Cellular Orchestration Platform (UK)
• Mission Bio Announces Pharma Assay Development Services for Solid Tumor Research (USA)
• Ultima Genomics signs development agreement with Regeneron aimed at driving the scale of genomic information for drug discovery and development (USA)
• Spiderwort Secures $13.2m USD in Series A Financing to Accelerate Clinical Trials of Revolutionary Biomaterials (Canada)
• Solvias Acquires Cergentis to Bolster Biologics and Cell & Gene Therapy Capabilities (Switzerland/the Netherlands)
• CRISPR pioneer’s startup Epic Bio reels in $55M to use tiny Cas for epigenetic engineering (USA)
• Symbiosis Strengthens Analytical Testing Capability (UK)
• Biomerics Launches Interventional Medical Plastics Division with Acquisition of Dependable Plastics (USA)
• Halo Labs Completes $6M Series C Growth Financing (USA)
• Thoughtworks Signs Multi-Year Agreement with PCI Pharma Services (USA)

Biopharma

• Kyowa Kirin axes Parkinson’s med, saying development and regulatory hurdles are too daunting (Japan)
• Endo Enters Commercialization & Supply Agreement with Quoin Pharmaceuticals (Israel)
• SK Biopharmaceuticals, Eurofarma Enter Cenobamate Licensing Pact in Latin America (South Korea/Brazil)
• Paradigm Partners with NFL Alumni Health on Osteoarthritis Program (Australia)
• In $500M deal, Bayer offloads testosterone deficiency drug Nebido to Grünenthal (Germany)
• Marinus parts with priority review voucher, selling skip-the-line pass to Novo Nordisk for $110M (USA)
• ContraFect halts phase 3 after antimicrobial fails futility test against MRSA (USA)
• CytomX slashes headcount by 40% after breast cancer setback, with later-stage development bearing the brunt (USA)
• Transpire Bio, Recipharm Partner for the Development of an Inhaled Medicine (USA/Sweden)
• Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals Opens New R&D Facility in Manhattanville Factory District (UK)
• GenScript ProBio, DAAN Bio Therapeutics Enter Cell and Gene Therapy Partnership (USA/South Korea)
• Pluristem Reports Topline Results from its Phase III Study of Muscle Regeneration Following Hip Fracture Surgery (Israel)
• Dupixent® (dupilumab) Phase 3 Trial Shows Positive Results in Children 1 to 11 Years of Age with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (USA)
• Novavax, at long last, clinches FDA emergency nod for protein-based COVID shot (USA)
• Alnylam ratchets up Pfizer, Moderna infringement fight on same day it scored new patent (USA)
• Pfizer jumps into bed with Agomab, leading series B extension and lending support to Crohn’s program (Belgium)
• Orion’s rebooted R&D strategy pays off with $290M Merck deal for prostate cancer drug (Canada)
• Heidelberg Pharma and Chiome Bioscience Sign Exclusive, Target-Specific Research and Option Agreement for the Development of an Antibody Drug Conjugate (Germany/Japan)
• GenScript ProBio Signs MOU to Form Strategic Partnership with ACT Therapeutics to Development of New CAR-T Cell Therapies (China/USA)
• EpicentRx Awarded Grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation to Evaluate Therapeutic Potential of RRx-001 in Parkinson’s Disease (USA)
• Bain goes big again, leading $350M round to fund oral challenger to blockbuster asthma biologics (USA)
• LegoChem Biosciences and Glycotope Announce Research Collaboration and License Agreement for an Antibody for use as Antibody Drug Conjugate (South Korea/Germany)
• Biotech Startups Cyrus Biotechnology, Outpace Bio and Arezda Join AWS and Other Partners in Open-source Project to Help Design New Proteins (USA)
• Innoviva snaps up La Jolla and its 2 FDA-approved drugs for $149M (USA)
  • • • Roche hands over $55M for licensing rights to Ionis’ kidney disease candidate (USA)
• Vertex absorbs ViaCyte and its stem cell-based diabetes treatment for $320M, clearing out competition (USA)
• MacroGenics closes solid tumor clinical trial after 7 people die (USA)

Artificial Intelligence

• Hyperfine rolls out rapid, brain-imaging AI software for its MRI scanner-on-wheels (USA)
• Gestalt Diagnostics Announces Artificial Intelligence Requisition Engine (AIRE) (USA)
• Fullpower®-AI Announces the Issuance of Three New U.S. Patents Further Covering Smart Beds, Sleeptracker®-AI, and the Fullpower®-AI PaaS Platform (USA)
• Infermedica Launches New Modules, Bringing AI-Driven Medical Guidance Platform to Life (Poland)