Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly EuroBiotech Report. We start this week with three deals. AstraZeneca and Innate Pharma led the way with a multipart deal featuring $220 million (€193 million) in upfront fees and billions in milestones. AbbVie struck a rather smaller deal to take full control of Galapagos' cystic fibrosis pipeline, despite a key drug again delivering underwhelming data. Takeda paid $50 million upfront for a stake in Enterome's microbiome-directed Crohn's disease drug. Elsewhere, GlaxoSmithKline and Bayer posted mixed data. GSK reported a phase 2 trial of a rheumatoid arthritis drug missed its primary endpoint, while Bayer hailed the success of a pivotal trial of its rival to Erleada and Xtandi. And more. — Nick Taylor
1. AstraZeneca strikes big, multipart immuno-oncology deal with Innate
AstraZeneca is set to pay Innate Pharma $170 million (€148 million) to license anti-NKG2A antibody monalizumab and secure an option on five other prospects. The multipart deal will see AstraZeneca hand over the upfront cost and commit to billions in milestones to swell its immuno-oncology pipeline.
2. AbbVie buys Galapagos’ cystic fibrosis assets despite weak data
AbbVie has acquired Galapagos’ cystic fibrosis pipeline for $45 million (€39 million) upfront. The deal follows two underwhelming clinical trial readouts that suggested the drugs may struggle to compete with Vertex’s more advanced pipeline prospects.
3. Takeda buys stake in Enterome’s microbiome Crohn’s drug
Takeda has paid $50 million (€44 million) upfront to co-develop Enterome’s early-phase Crohn’s disease candidate EB8018. The deal gives Takeda a stake in a small molecule designed to disarm virulent bacteria and thereby treat gastrointestinal disorders.
4. GlaxoSmithKline’s rheumatoid arthritis prospect misses phase 2 endpoint
GlaxoSmithKline has missed the primary endpoint in a phase 2 trial of rheumatoid arthritis prospect GSK3196165. The highest dose of the anti-GM-CSF antibody failed to beat the placebo on a disease activity score, but GSK plans to forge ahead with more clinical trials nonetheless.
5. Chasing Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer, Bayer hits goal in prostate cancer phase 3
A phase 3 trial of Bayer and Orion’s darolutamide in patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has met its primary endpoint. The data could tee Bayer up to compete with Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer for a previously underserved population of prostate cancer patients.