Neurology, Oncology, and Rare Diseases: A Week of Deals Across the Spectrum

Week 43 Deals (2024)

October 25, 2024

Bayer licenses Dewpoint’s innovative DCM program for $424M in upfront and milestones

Structure: Exclusive licensing agreement for a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) program
Date Announced: October 24, 2024
Total Deal Value: Up to $424 million
Upfront Cash: Not disclosed
Milestone Payments: Estimated at $424 million (development and commercial milestones)
Royalties: Not disclosed
Notes: This is the first option exercise under the research collaboration between Bayer and Dewpoint Therapeutics, Inc., which began in November 2019 (Source)

Merck acquires Modifi Biosciences for $1.33B to advance oncology innovation

Collaboration to develop mRNA-LNP gene-editing therapies

Lumos Pharma goes private in a $38M merger deal

Structure: Merger agreement with tender offer
Date Announced: October 23, 2024
Total Deal Value: Approximately $38 million upfront + contingent value rights (CVRs) for future milestones
Upfront Cash: $4.25 per share (~$38 million total equity value)

AbbVie & Gedeon Richter (Source)

New collaboration to discover neuropsychiatric therapies

Structure: Discovery, co-development, and licensing agreement
Date Announced: October 24, 2024
Upfront Cash: $25 million
Milestone Payments & Royalties: Richter will receive potential development, regulatory, and commercialization milestones, along with sales-based royalties.

Partnership to advance AAV gene therapy vectors for neurological diseases

Structure: Strategic partnership agreement
Date Announced: October 24, 2024
Total Deal Value: Over $1 billion
Upfront Cash: $50 million, along with additional research-phase payments
Milestone Payments: >$1 billion in preclinical, clinical, and sales milestones
Royalties: not disclosed

Collaboration on Bardet-Biedl Syndrome research and therapy development

Exclusive license for poxvirus monoclonal antibodies portfolio

Expanded co-development agreement for radio-DARPin cancer therapies