Biotech M&A, Biosecure expands & ASCO update: a BioCentury podcast

An M&A quartet. House China committee’s new focus. Colorectal cancer immunotherapies.

Four takeouts with upfront payments north of $1 billion to close out May mark the latest run of VC exits from biotech M&A and help expand the pipelines of large biopharmas in renal, ophthalmic and immunologic indications.

On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury’s editors discuss how the takeout of  Calliditas Therapeutics AB (SSE:CALTX; NASDAQ:CALT) by  Asahi Kasei Corp. (Tokyo:3407) and acquisition of Human Immunology Biosciences Inc. (informally, HI-Bio) by Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) showcase how the renal field is on the rise. 

They also discussed what the buy of ophthalmic company Eyebiotech Ltd. (EyeBio) means for Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) and how the purchase by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) of a  Numab Therapeutics AG unit shows the pharma is ramping up in immunological disorders.  

Turning to Washington, the editors explained why the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is expanding its remit to Chinese therapeutic developers and commercial competitiveness — with an initial focus on  Legend Biotech Corp. (NASDAQ:LEGN) and GenScript Biotech Corp. (HKSE:1548). And, finally, they assessed data from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) that demonstrate how immunotherapies are making progress in “cold” colorectal cancers. 

This episode of BioCentury This Week was sponsored by Nxera Pharma Co. Ltd. For information on opportunities to sponsor The BioCentury Show and the BioCentury This Week podcast, please email conferences@biocentury.com.