Pharma’s Dealmaking January

Here’s a roundup of ten of the most eye-catching deals so far in 2025.

02/05/2025 | 3 min read | Hot Topic

We are now at the start of February 2025 but it’s already proving a very busy year for pharma deals, including acquisitions and collaborations. Here’s a roundup of ten of the most eye-catching deals we’ve seen.

J&J announced its acquisition of Intra-Cellular Therapies for approximately $14.6 billion. The deal includes Intra-Cellular's lead drug, CAPLYTA (lumateperone), which is FDA approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar depression, along with several clinical-stage assets. The acquisition reflects J&J's ongoing interest in expanding its neuroscience portfolio.

Eli Lilly is looking to acquire Scorpion Therapeutics for its mutant-selective PI3Kα inhibitor program, including STX-478, a drug currently in phase I/II trials for breast cancer and other solid tumours. The deal has been valued at up to $2.5 billion and could strengthen Lilly’s oncology pipeline, particularly for hormone-positive breast cancer, where PI3Kα mutations are common. STX-478 is designed to selectively target cancerous cells while sparing healthy ones, potentially improving both efficacy and tolerability compared to existing therapies. As part of the agreement, Scorpion will spin out a new company focused on other precision oncology treatments.

GSK is in discussions to acquire IDRx, an oncology drug developer, in a deal that could be worth up to $1.1 billion. The acquisition would give GSK access to IDRx's oral KIT inhibitor, IDRX-42, currently in phase I trials for gastrointestinal stromal tumours. This move reflects GSK's strategy to expand its oncology pipeline, particularly for rare and difficult-to-treat cancers.

In another area of cancer, GSK has agreed a research collaboration with the University of Oxford. As part of the GSK-Oxford Cancer Immuno-Prevention programme, GSK will invest £50 million to support translational research for cancer vaccines. The goal is to gain key insights into how cancer develops that could inform new approaches to cancer vaccination.

MSD Ireland has purchased WuXi Vaccines’ Dundalk manufacturing site. The acquisition will expand MSD’s operations in Ireland, with plans to add approximately 1,000 new jobs across its network over the next few years, including 150 roles at the Dundalk facility. The 15,520-square-meter site includes drug substance and product manufacturing, as well as quality control labs, focused on global vaccine supply. The acquisition follows years of collaboration between MSD and WuXi Vaccines.

Novo Nordisk and Valo Health have expanded their collaboration to discover and develop treatments for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, using human data and AI. The initial partnership, formed in 2023, focused on up to 11 drug programs; the expanded agreement will include up to 20 drug programs. Valo will receive near-term payments totaling up to $190 million, with potential milestone payments of approximately $4.6 billion.

BioMed X Institute will collaborate with Daiichi Sankyo to advance cancer therapies through the development of bi- and multi-specific biologics. The project, called “New Strategies for Targeting of Solid Tumors with Multi-Specific Biologics,” will focus on creating therapies that target multiple points within the tumor microenvironment. The collaboration invites global researchers to propose innovative concepts, particularly for solid tumours, using state-of-the-art techniques including machine learning.

Phillips Medisize has completed its acquisition of the Vectura Group. Vectura has expertise in inhalation drug delivery, including dry powder inhalers, metered dose inhalers, nasal inhalers, and nebulizers, as well as services related to pharmaceutical analysis, regulatory support, and clinical trials. The deal will expand Phillips Medisize's capabilities in the inhalation therapy market, particularly for chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD.

A collaboration between Regeneron and Truveta will help expand the DNA sequence-linked healthcare database of the Regeneron Genetics Center. The goal is to perform genetic sequencing of ten million patient volunteers to obtain new insights into how genetics impact health, which could lead to new genetic-based therapies and optimized healthcare services.

CellFE and Syenex will be working together to advance cell engineering through a hybrid gene-editing workflow. Their partnership will combine Syenex’s gene-editing technology with CellFE’s platform for high-efficiency cell engineering. The goal is to improve the development of genetically modified cell lines for use in cell therapy and biomanufacturing.

For more news and views on the pharma industry, consider subscribing.

Email*

Choose a password*

I have read and understand the Privacy Notice *

Stay up to date with our other newsletters and sponsors information, tailored specifically to the fields you are interested in

I want to stay up to date with the "Small Molecule" field I want to stay up to date with the Cell and Gene field I want to stay up to date with the Bioprocessing field

When you click “Subscribe” we will email you a link, which you must click to verify the email address above and activate your subscription. If you do not receive this email, please contact us at [email protected].
If you wish to unsubscribe, you can update your preferences at any point.