GSK has agreed to acquire Cambridge-based Affinivax for a $2.1 billion upfront payment and up to $1.2 billion in potential development milestones. Affinivax is pioneering the development of a novel class of vaccines, the most advanced of which are next-generation pneumococcal vaccines. The transaction is expected to close in Q3 2022. Pneumococcal disease includes pneumonia, […]

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio) has released a study identifying workforce needs, expectations, and challenges across the Massachusetts life sciences industry. Findings from 129 biopharma companies show that 78 percent expect to grow their workforce over the next 12 months with both entry- and non-entry-level new hires, with most also having experienced difficulty in filling […]

A bid led by top government, business, higher education and life sciences officials to bring a federal biomedical research agency to Massachusetts has launched with a meeting at the UMass Club in Boston. Gov. Charlie Baker, Congressman Richard Neal, University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan and MassBio CEO Joe Boncore are leading the effort to […]

New Haven biotech Biohaven has agreed to be acquired by Pfizer in a proposed transaction valued at $11.6 billion. The acquisition includes Biohaven’s calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) migraine therapy programs. These include rimegepant (approved in the U.S. and the EU under the trade names Nurtec and Vydura, respectively), and zavegepant, which is on track for a […]

AstraZeneca plans to open a new site at the heart of the Cambridge life sciences and innovation hub. The new site will be a strategic R&D center for AstraZeneca, as well as corporate headquarters for Alexion, which was acquired by AstraZeneca in July 2021. The site will consolidate approximately 1,500 R&D, commercial and corporate professionals […]

In reporting its first quarter 2022 results, Biogen announced that it has begun a search for a new CEO. Michel Vounatsos, who has held the position since 2017, will continue to serve as CEO and on the Board of Directors until his successor is appointed. The company also announced it will “substantially eliminate its commercial […]

Vertex has announced that its VX-880 Phase 1/2 study has been placed on clinical hold in the U.S. by the FDA. VX-880 is an investigational stem cell-derived, pancreatic islet cell replacement therapy for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). According to Vertex, the FDA took this action due to its determination that there is “insufficient […]

Apertura Gene Therapy has launched with a Series A financing of up to $67M from Deerfield Management Company to develop genetic medicines. Deerfield Management has also committed additional operational support. Apertura is based at the Cure, Deerfield’s innovation campus in New York City. Apertura is founded on a pair of platform technologies developed in the […]

Cambridge-based Checkmate Pharmaceuticals has agreed to be acquired by Regeneron in a transaction that values Checkmate at approximately $250 million. Checkmate is a clinical stage biopharm focused on harnessing the power of the immune system to combat cancer. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2022. Checkmate’s lead investigational candidate is vidutolimod which is administered […]

Reify Health has raised $220 million in a Series D funding round. The funding round, which brings the company’s valuation to over $4.8 billion, was secured to accelerate the company’s efforts to improve diversity and representation in clinical trial participation. Certain minority communities have been heavily underrepresented in clinical trials, which presents a significant health […]