Takeda ended its neurogenerative disease partnership with Denali Therapeutics. Merck & Co. and Zhifei have scrapped a minimum purchase requirement in their vaccine distribution agreement. Shionogi secured funding from the U.S. government to boost the domestic supply of an antibiotic. And more.
1. Takeda tears up Denali partnership, returning dementia asset amid restructuring
Takeda has returned a dementia candidate coded DNL593 to Denali Therapeutics, effectively ending their collaboration initiated in 2018 to co-develop up to three new drugs for neurodegenerative diseases. Takeda, in restructuring mode, made the decision out of strategic considerations not related to efficacy or safety, according to a Denali securities filing.
2. With Gardasil demand shortfall in China, Merck and Zhifei adjust their partnership
Merck & Co. has agreed to remove minimum purchase requirements from its vaccines partner Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products in China and use a rolling, demand-based supply model. The adjustment comes after demand for Merck’s HPV vaccine Gardasil has plummeted. Zhifei’s procurement of three Merck vaccine brands fell from 34.8 billion yuan in 2023 to below 2.2 billion yuan in 2025.
3. Shionogi nabs initial $119M award from BARDA to establish US antibiotic plant
Shionogi unveiled a deal with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to bolster U.S. production of the company’s antibiotic Fetroja (cefiderocol). The HHS agency will initially award the Japanese pharma $119 million, with additional “multiyear options” worth up to $482 million if exercised.
4. Astellas unearths Dyno muscle disorder AAV capsid with $15M option agreement
Astellas is exercising an option to license a Dyno Therapeutics adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid engineered for delivery to skeletal muscle. The Japanese pharma will pay $15 million, along with potential milestone and royalty payments, and will take care of all development activities for any gene therapy candidates based on the delivery vehicle.
Other News of Note:
5. Akari locks arms with WuXi XDC to develop and manufacture novel ADC treatment
6. Daiichi Sankyo partners with Chinese R&D platform Atlatl (release)
7. DualityBio’s BioNTech-partnered ADC accepted for review in China (release)
8. Gan & Lee, JW Pharma team up on biweekly GLP-1 in Korea (release)