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 […]

Leading European drug discovery CRO/CDMO Symeres is set to acquire Woburn-based Organix, a provider of high-quality organic chemistry services focused on lipids. The Organix acquisition adds a high-quality presence in the US market, where Symeres generates nearly 50% of its revenues, and broadens Symeres’ drug discovery offering into the fast-growing lipids market, addressing mRNA therapeutics […]

Following a review of its strategic priorities, bluebird bio is initiating a comprehensive restructuring intended to deliver up to $160 million in cost savings over the next two years. bluebird intends to sharpen its focus on near-term catalysts, including anticipated FDA approvals for its gene therapies for beta-thalassemia and cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy in 2022, and the potential submission of […]

Cambridge-based LifeMine Therapeutics has raised $175 million in a Series C financing to advance the company’s proprietary, evolutionarily-derived genomic drug discovery platform, Avatar-Rx. The platform searches the fungal biosphere for novel GEMs (genetically-encoded small molecules) having a predetermined target and biological function. Downstream of GEM discovery, Avatar-Rx advances new product candidates rapidly through preclinical discovery […]

Affini-T Therapeutics has completed an oversubscribed $175 million financing, the proceeds from which will enable the company to operationalize its platform discovery engine, drive multiple programs into the clinic and pursue complementary technology licenses to bolster its cell therapy platform. To enable and accelerate growth, the company has established a bi-coastal U.S. presence with research […]

RNAi therapeutics company Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has separately filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against Pfizer and Moderna, seeking damages for patent infringement in the parties’ manufacture and sale of their mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The patent relates to Alnylam’s biodegradable cationic lipids that are foundational to the success of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. […]