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Evotec deepened its ties to Sanofi ($SNY) with a pair of new collaborations. The first deal, which was made public late last week, is a $330 million diabetes pact, in which Evotec and Sanofi will work to turn stem cells into insulin-producing beta cells. A few days later, Sanofi revealed it is also working with Evotec--plus Austrian biotech Apeiron Biologics--on small molecule-based immunotherapies. The pact is part of how Sanofi plans to make up ground on the leaders in immuno-oncology. FierceBiotech | More
> GW Pharmaceuticals ($GWPH) picked up a FDA fast track status and an orphan drug nod in Europe for its treatment of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (NHIE). The therapy, an intravenous cannabidiol, was previously designated as an orphan drug by FDA. Having picked up the statuses on both sides of the Atlantic, GW Pharma is now preparing to advance the candidate into the clinic later this year. Release
> Alligator Biosciences struck a $700 million (€630 million) immuno-oncology deal with Johnson & Johnson ($JNJ). Lund, Sweden-based Alligator has pocketed an undisclosed slice of the total as an upfront fee, with the rest due to follow in milestones. The deals gives J&J the rights to ADC-1013, a CD40-targeting antibody. Fellow Swedish drugmaker BioInvent used to have the rights to the drug, but sold them back to Alligator in May 2014 for an undisclosed sum. FierceBiotech
> Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (STO:SOBI) and Biogen ($BIIB) posted long-term safety and efficacy data from an extension study of their hemophilia treatment, Eloctate. The data form part of Biogen's strategy to take market share in hemophilia A--an indication in which it is competing against more established, but arguably less convenient, rivals--by backing up its argument that Eloctate is an effective long-term treatment. Release
> Cytos Biotechnology struck a $90 million deal with oncology upstart Checkmate Pharmaceuticals. The deal gives newly-minted Checkmate the rights to CYT003, the Toll-like receptor 9-focused drug that flunked a Phase IIb trial last year. Zurich, Switzerland-based Cytos was dealt a mortal blow by the failure, but Checkmate thinks it can revive the program. FierceBiotech | Release (PDF)
> Alcobra ($ADHD) said it expects its current cash reserve of $41.1 million (€37 million) to see it through to the end of its second Phase III trial in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Israeli drugmaker is also planning to talk to FDA about the Fragile X syndrome data it generated in a Phase II trial, which missed its primary endpoint but "demonstrated significant improvements in certain clinically meaningful behavioral and cognitive endpoints," according to Alcobra. Release