RE:Big pharma is set to keep signing bigger deals in 2024March 05, 2024 - Biogen's Top Dealmaker Keen on Orphan/Rare Disease Drug Companies.
Biogen's Keeney cited regulators' growing willingness to consider surrogate endpoints for rare diseases as bolstering the larger business model for developing these drugs. Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, recently said that accelerated approval would become “the norm”.
Whereas last year, Biogen was looking for a commercial-stage asset that could immediately bolster revenue, earlier clinical assets are now on the deal menu. Keeney described appealing assets as ranging from the late discovery stage through phase 2. He wouldn’t preclude another full acquisition, albeit one likely smaller than Reata, which was acquired for US$6.5 Billion, but Biogen’s general appetite seems to be more in the bolt-on range.
https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/biogen-buy-reata-65-bln-bulk-up-rare-disease-portfolio-2023-07-28/