Deals

Xbrane Biopharma is on the clock to bring in a licensing partner for one of its two biosimilar candidates in order to fulfil its short-term working capital requirements. The Swedish firm has revealed that a deal for one appears close, as it also reached an agreement for more time to put pen to paper.

Zentiva has launched a bid to take control of German “single pill company” Apontis Pharma, with a €10-per-share offer that values the enterprise at €85m. If successful, Zentiva plans to establish the firm as a standalone branded division.

Gedeon Richter and Bio-Thera Solutions have announced a European licensing deal worth potentially more than $100m for the Chinese biosimilar developer’s BAT2206 proposed rival to Stelara.

Teva has resolved a pair of civil US Department of Justice lawsuits accusing the firm of violating the US Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act through its alleged conduct conspiring to fix the price of three generic drugs and for allegedly paying Medicare patients’ copays for its multiple sclerosis brand Copaxone.

In the space of a few days, all four generics manufacturers that had successfully petitioned for a re-examination of a key patent shielding Novo Nordisk’s mega blockbuster Ozempic have reached settlement agreements terminating their challenges.

Lupin has added two ADHD drugs to its Canadian portfolio, while also signing multiple branded deals in other global markets.

Hyloris recognized that the suspension of its shares as part of a broader business fallout has “created uncertainty and temporarily impacted management and organizational focus,” as it got another commercial deal over the line for its Maxigesic IV (paracetamol/ibuprofen) solution for infusion.

Gilead strikes voluntary licensing agreements with six generic manufacturers for lenacapavir but health groups seek clarity on pricing and seeming API supply restrictions. All eyes are also on the patent opposition case in India.

The world’s best-selling diabetes medicine, with sales last year across the globe of around $14bn, is now in the crosshairs in the US for Viatris’ Mylan and its partner Natco, after the firms announced an agreement settling litigation that was pending before the US Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Aspire Pharma has bolstered its dermatology portfolio by striking a deal to acquire “all assets” of another UK-based player, Canute Pharma.

Amneal will lend its expertise in product development and manufacturing under a collaboration with obesity and metabolic disorders start-up Metsera – the latest in a recent string of deals involving the highly sought-after GLP-1 analogs.

Teva is continuing along its well-trodden path of partnered biosimilar assets, striking a further agreement with Spanish develop mAbxience that could be for the development of either pembrolizumab or nivolumab.

Biocon has struck a deal that will see its GLP-1 diabetes and chronic weight management products commercialized in the Middle East region by partner Tabuk Pharmaceutical.

Xbrane says scientific advice from the US FDA on a “streamlined” clinical program for its proposed nivolumab biosimilar, comprising just a single trial, will cut the development costs and timeline for the Opdivo rival, making it more attractive as Xbrane seeks a commercialization partner.

Polpharma has struck a deal with MSN Laboratories that will see the Polish generics player distribute the Indian firm’s hospital portfolio in Poland.

After being sued by Alimera earlier this month, ANI has now completed its acquisition of the company, boosting its commercialized drug portfolio with two original products.

Ipca is considering merging its US generic formulations businesses Bayshore Pharmaceuticals and Unichem Pharmaceuticals USA into a single entity, according to newly-unveiled plans that will be considered by directors in a week’s time.

Zydus bags two generic gadolinium-based contrasting agents in an exclusive licensing and supply agreement with Viwit, opening a new chapter of imaging injectables for the US market.

Philip Morris described a scenario of being essentially blacklisted by the healthcare sector and its CDMO partners, as the tobacco manufacturer threw in the towel on its £1.1bn acquisition of UK-based inhalation specialist Vectura by agreeing to offload the firm at a fraction of the initial cost.

Orifarm has announced details of a strategic investment from Carlyle Global Credit, which the Danish firm says will “strengthen Orifarm’s ongoing expansion, both organic and inorganic.”