Big Pharma Wraps 2024 with a Deal-Making Bow

Week 50 Deals (2024)

Deal of the Week: AbbVie & Nimble Therapeutics Merge for Immunology Boost (PRNewswire)

Oral peptides supercharge psoriasis pipeline

  • Structure: Acquisition

  • Date Announced: December 12, 2024

  • Total Deal Value: $200 million

  • Upfront Cash: $200 million

  • Therapeutic Modality: Oral peptide IL23R inhibitor

  • Therapeutic Area: Psoriasis, immunology

  • Phase: Preclinical

Notable Deals

Cimeio Therapeutics & Kyowa Kirin Partner for Cell Therapies (BusinessWire)

Shielded cell therapies target oncology

  • Structure: Partnership and licensing agreement

  • Date Announced: December 9, 2024

  • Total Deal Value: Up to $3 billion

  • Upfront Cash: $50 million

  • Total Milestones: Up to $2.95 billion

  • Therapeutic Modality: Shielded cell therapies

  • Therapeutic Area: Oncology

  • Phase: Preclinical

LVMH Recherche & Integrated Biosciences Team Up for AI Research (BusinessWire)

AI-driven drug discovery gets luxe backing

  • Structure: Strategic research partnership

  • Date Announced: December 9, 2024

  • Key Terms: Collaboration leverages Integrated Biosciences’ AI platform for novel drug targets; no financial terms disclosed

Asahi Kasei Pharma Licenses anti-CX3CR1 Antibody Globally (BusinessWire)

Neuroinflammatory treatment gains traction

  • Structure: Exclusive global licensing agreement

  • Date Announced: December 11, 2024

  • Total Deal Value: Up to $1.7 billion

  • Upfront Cash: $50 million

  • Total Milestones: Up to $1.65 billion

  • Therapeutic Modality: Monoclonal antibody

  • Therapeutic Area: Neuroinflammatory diseases

  • Phase: Preclinical

BeiGene & Porton Pharma Solutions/Aojin Life Sciences Collaborate on XDC Drugs (BusinessWire)

Dual IND filings boost conjugate drug pipeline

  • Structure: Strategic collaboration for XDC conjugate drugs

  • Date Announced: December 10, 2024 (Porton/Aojin); December 12, 2024 (BeiGene)

  • Total Deal Value: Undisclosed

  • Key Terms: Partnership aims for simultaneous IND filings in China and U.S. for novel conjugate drugs; no financial terms disclosed

Orion Corporation & Evariste Design Novel Inhibitors (BusinessWire)

Undisclosed target gets fresh attention

  • Structure: Collaboration agreement

  • Date Announced: December 10, 2024

  • Key Terms: Partnership focuses on designing inhibitors for an undisclosed target using Evariste’s platform; no financial terms disclosed

Relation & GSK Forge Paths for Fibrotic Diseases, Osteoarthritis (GlobeNewswire)

RNA-targeting therapies tackle chronic conditions

  • Structure: Two strategic collaborations

  • Date Announced: December 10, 2024

  • Total Deal Value: Up to $700 million (combined)

  • Upfront Cash: $75 million (combined)

  • Total Milestones: Up to $625 million

  • Therapeutic Modality: RNA-targeting therapies

  • Therapeutic Area: Fibrotic diseases, osteoarthritis

  • Phase: Preclinical

Tanner Pharma & Agenus Expand Access to Cancer Therapies (BusinessWire)

Botensilimab, Balstilimab reach new markets

  • Structure: Partnership agreement

  • Date Announced: December 11, 2024

  • Key Terms: Tanner Pharma to distribute Agenus’ Botensilimab and Balstilimab globally, enhancing access for cancer patients; no financial terms disclosed

Elevation Oncology Licenses ADC Tech from Synaffix (PRNewswire)

ADC pipeline expansion targets solid tumors

  • Structure: Licensing agreement

  • Date Announced: December 11, 2024

  • Total Deal Value: Up to $225 million

  • Upfront Cash: $10 million

  • Total Milestones: Up to $215 million

  • Therapeutic Modality: Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)

  • Therapeutic Area: Solid tumors

  • Phase: Preclinical