PharmaDeals Review Business Commentaries
Dr Fintan Walton, PharmaVentures’ CEO, provides monthly comment on topical biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry issues. Includes access to Fintan’s commentaries broadcast on PharmaTelevision.
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Technology Focus: Antibodies - End of the Boom?
From issue 79 of the PharmaDeals Review (2007-01-01)
The origins of, and developments in, monoclonal antibody (MAb) technology are outlined, with discussion of past and possible future deal making trends. The different sections of the feature describe antibody production and humanisation, including difficulties with the HAMA response (the production of human anti-mouse antibodies), the technologies involved in antibody humanisation, existing MAb therapies and antibody fragmentation techniques; details are given of deals concerning these. Antibody fragment types and technologies discussed include monovalent Fabs (antigen-binding fragments), single-chain variable fragments (scFvs), variable regions of heavy and light chains joined by a short linker, domain antibodies (dAbs), diabodies, triabodies, minibodies, UniBodies™ and Nanobodies®.
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A Partnership between Little and Large
From issue 79 of the PharmaDeals Review (2007-01-01)
The boom and bust years of the late 1990s and early 2000s left biotechnology companies facing an uncertain future, but those that lasted have learned new survival strategies, not least of which is partnering with big pharma. This article draws on two interviews in which PharmaVentures' CEO, Fintan Walton, discussed the partnering strategies and business models of two very different sized companies, global giant Roche and German biotech MorphoSys, with Eric de la Fortelle (Roche's Global Head of External Research and Technologies) and Simon Moroney (MorphoSys' founder and CEO). These companies have enjoyed a successful partnership since 2000, not least because of the resources each has committed to the alliance management process.
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Product Enhancement: Halozyme and Roche Link
From issue 79 of the PharmaDeals Review (2007-01-01)
On 5 December 2006, the little-known drug delivery company Halozyme Therapeutics signed a collaborative agreement with F. Hoffmann-La Roche worth a potential US$612 M. The deal gave a major boost to both Halozyme and the drug delivery sector alike, and provided yet further evidence that the values of licensing deals are on the increase. Through the deal, Roche will gain access to Halozyme's Enhanze™ proprietary drug delivery technology, which will be applied to Roche's biological therapeutic compounds. This feature discusses the details of the impressive financials of the deal, the rising value of licensing deals in general, and the future possibilities for Halozyme.
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GlaxoSmithKline Acquires Next-Generation Antibody Company Domantis
From issue 79 of the PharmaDeals Review (2007-01-01)
Another of the UK's most promising biotech companies has become the target of big pharma, with GlaxoSmithKline entering into an agreement to acquire privately held Domantis for £230 M (US$454 M) in cash. This feature outlines Domantis' domain antibody (dAb) technology, which it is developing for the treatment of various diseases, its early investment history – most significantly that from the Australian biotech Peptech, and its partnering history. It also discusses how the acquisition of Domantis fits the pattern of a number of deals done by big pharma companies in 2006 that aimed to bring their antibody therapeutics capabilities rapidly up to speed by purchasing entire companies, rather than just licensing individual products and technologies.
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Tanox Strikes Gold with Genentech Alliance
From issue 78 of the PharmaDeals Review (2006-12-01)
On 9 November 2006, Texas-based biotech Tanox experienced a massive jump in its share price. The 45% increase was thanks to the announcement from biotech giant Genentech that it plans to acquire the small antibody technology company for US$20 per share, or approximately US$919 M, using its enormous cash reserves. The deal is significant for both parties, not least for Genentech as it marks the first business acquisition in the company's 30-year history. For Tanox, one could argue that its future has been secured, with guaranteed future cash injection into its not unimpressive pipeline. In addition, it is worthy of note that the acquisition was based in large part on the existing collaboration that the two companies have enjoyed since 1996.
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