Industry News

Global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Lonza has announced a major expansion of its highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredient (HPAPI) and payload-linker manufacturing capabilities at its Visp, Switzerland facility. The investment aims to strengthen the company's integrated support for the rapidly growing antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) market.

Glenmark Specialty S.A, a wholly owned subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Glenmark) announced the advancement of its multi-country Phase 3 clinical trial for Trastuzumab rezetecan (SHR-A1811), a HER2-targeted antibody drug conjugate (ADC), for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC).

Canadian biotechnology company Zymeworks Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Theravance Biopharma in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately 929 millionUSD , marking a major strategic expansion beyond oncology into respiratory medicine.

Under the terms of the agreement, Theravance shareholders will receive 17.00 USD per share in cash. In addition, they will receive a Contingent Value Right (CVR) that entitles them to 80% of the net proceeds from any future licensing, divestiture, or monetization of ampreloxetine over the next ten years.

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo have achieved a significant regulatory milestone after the European Commission approved Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (IHC 3+) solid tumours who have no satisfactory treatment options.

Eli Lilly and Company India has announced the launch of Tanstrive (selpercatinib) in India following marketing authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). The targeted therapy is indicated for patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumours driven by rearranged during transfection (RET) gene alterations, offering a new precision medicine option for eligible cancer patients.

Merck KGaA has signed a definitive agreement to acquire U.S.-based life sciences company Bio-Techne in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately USD 11.3 billion (EUR 9.9 billion). The acquisition is expected to significantly strengthen Merck's position in rapidly growing life sciences segments, including multi-omics, spatial biology, precision diagnostics, and cell & gene therapy.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new indication for Pfizer's IBRANCE (palbociclib), allowing its use in combination with trastuzumab, with or without pertuzumab, and endocrine therapy as maintenance treatment for adults with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-positive (HER2+) locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer following induction therapy. The approval marks a significant expansion for the widely used CDK4/6 inhibitor.