Biopharma M&A Heats Up, Rare Diseases Win Three Approvals, Wave Crashes

About this episode

The episode discusses recent significant mergers and acquisitions in the biopharma sector, along with new drug approvals for rare diseases.

Biogen, Eli Lilly and Merck spent more than $20 billion in the past week to swallow biotechs with approved products or promising drug candidates—representing three of this year’s four biggest takeovers. First, Merck picked up Terns Pharmaceuticals and its mid-stage leukemia drug for $6.7 billion. Then, on Tuesday, Lilly and Biogen struck, acquiring Centessa Pharmaceuticals and Apellis Pharmaceuticals respectively. Those big-ticket deals aren’t the only recent transactions, however. Others include Novartis’ up to $2 billion pick up of Excellergy and Gilead’s $2.1 billion purchase of Ouro Medicines. Meanwhile, Kevin Tang—the newly minted CEO of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals—again has his sights set on Kezar Life Sciences , which he previously targeted in 2024. This time, biopharma’s “clean-up” man is offering $50 million for the chronic disease–focused biotech. Last week also saw nods for Denali Therapeutics’ Avlayah, the first treatment for Hunter syndrome to target the disease’s neurological complications, and Rocket Pharmaceuticals’ Kresladi for leukocyte adhesion deficiency-I. And it’s been a big week for Biogen, which besides moving on Apellis, won approval of a high-dose…

Topics covered

• biopharma
• mergers and acquisitions
• rare diseases
• drug approvals
• biotech
• investments

Keywords

• biopharma
• M&A
• drug approvals
• rare diseases
• biotech investments

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Biogen, Eli Lilly, Merck, Terns Pharmaceuticals, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Excellergy, Gilead, Ouro Medicines

Products: leukemia drug, Avlayah, Spinraza, litifilimab, WVE-007

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