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Global Briefs: J&J, GSK, Bayer, argenx & More 

A roundup of news from the large and mid-sized bio/pharmaceutical companies featuring Johnson & Johnson, GSK, Bayer, Vertex, argenx, Legend Biotech, Neurocrine Biosciences and Sarepta. Highlights below.  

For the latest news roundup on small and Emerging Pharma companies, see Biotech Briefs. 

General 
* J&J Proposes $5.5-Billion Settlement To End Talc Litigation 
M&A News 
* argenx To Acquire Forte Biosciences for $2.2 Bn 
Partnering News 
* Vertex, AbCellera Partner for T-Cell Engagers 
* Bayer, Kairos in Prostate Cancer Drug Pact 
R&D News 
* GSK Announces New Global R&D Center 
Appointments 
* Legend Biotech CEO Resigns: Interim CEO Named 
* Neurocrine Biosciences Makes Senior Appointments 
* Sarepta Names New CEO 

General 

J&J Proposes $5.5-Billion Settlement To End Talc Litigation 
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has proposed a $5.5-billion settlement regarding its ongoing talc litigation, referring to claims over the company’s former baby powder product. The product had been part of J&J’s consumer products business, which was spun off into a separate company, Kenvue, in 2023. The proposed settlement would cover the company’s remaining talc litigation with reference to ovarian cancer with plaintiff firms leading federal multi-district litigation (MDL) and related state court proceedings. The settlement would cover at least 95% of the remaining claims if accepted.  

The proposed resolution follows a favorable ruling by the MDL court and acknowledgment by plaintiffs’ counsel, regarding plaintiffs’ inability to prove that the company’s talc products caused any particular claimant’s ovarian cancer, i.e., specific causation, according to the company. The proposed settlement calls for a $5.5-billion commitment by the company and the first payment of no more than $3 billion to be made in 2027 and no additional payments due before 2028. The proposed settlement complements the progress the company already has made to resolve the talc litigation, including previously settling about 95% of filed mesothelioma lawsuits, all state consumer protection claims, and all talc-supplier disputes. 

Prior to its separation of its spinoff of its consumer products business, J&J agreed to retain all the talc-related liabilities and indemnify Kenvue for any and all costs arising from litigation in the United States and Canada. J&J made the commercial decision to discontinue talc-based Johnson Baby Powder globally in 2023. 

Source: Johnson & Johnson 

argenx To Acquire Forte Biosciences for $2.2 Bn 
argenx, a Boston-based bio/pharmaceutical company focused on immunology, has agreed to acquire Forte Biosciences, a Dallas, Texas-based clinical-stage bio/pharmaceutical company, for $2.2 billion. 

FB102, Forte Biosciences’ lead program, expands argenx’s portfolio of differentiated immunology medicines, by adding an anti-CD122 antibody with clinical proof-of-concept for treating vitiligo and celiac disease and potential to address multiple autoimmune diseases. The company reported Phase 1b data in vitiligo and celiac disease, with Phase II data for celiac disease expected in the second half of this year (2026). Beyond celiac disease and vitiligo, FB102 has the potential to address alopecia areata and additional autoimmune diseases.

The Boards of Directors of both companies have approved the transaction. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. 

Source: argenx 

Partnering News 

Vertex, AbCellera Partner for T-Cell Engagers 
AbCellera, a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based bio/pharmaceutical company, has announced a collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a Boston-based bio/pharmaceutical company, to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific T-cell engagers (TCEs) for autoimmune diseases and other conditions. 

Under the agreement, AbCellera will use its proprietary TCE platform to lead discovery and early-development activities. Vertex will fund all research and development costs and will have the right to develop and commercialize therapeutic multi-specific antibodies resulting from the collaboration. AbCellera will receive $28 million in total upfront payments and is eligible to receive preclinical, development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, along with tiered royalties on net sales. In addition, AbCellera and Vertex may mutually agree to have AbCellera perform cell-line development, process development, and clinical manufacturing through Phase I for any program under the collaboration. 

Source: AbCellera 

Bayer, Kairos in Prostate Cancer Drug Pact 
Bayer and Kairos Pharma, a clinical-stage bio/pharmaceutical company focused on oncology, have announced a strategic collaboration to evaluate Kairos Pharma’s lead antibody, ENV-105 (carotuximab), a cancer drug, in combination with Bayer’s Xofigo (radium-223 dichloride) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) involving bone metastasis.  

Kairos Pharma’s current programs with ENV-105 include a Phase I trial in EGFR-driven non-small cell lung cancer and a Phase II trial for castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Xofigo is an FDA-approved alpha-emitting radiopharmaceutical for mCRPC with symptomatic bone metastases and is currently advancing through additional combination studies, including a Phase III trial.  

Source: Kairos Pharma 

R&D News 

GSK Announces New Global R&D Center 
GSK has announced plans to establish a major new global R&D center in Cambridge, UK, as part of the company’s plan to accelerate its R&D pipeline. The new 300,000-square-foot site will be home to GSK’s R&D operations in the UK and more than 1,000 GSK scientists. 

As a result of the planned move to Cambridge, GSK will vacate its R&D site at Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK, with a phased move for employees by 2029. Alongside the move to Cambridge, GSK will also upgrade its existing R&D laboratories at Ware in Hertfordshire and move some employees there to create integrated drug-development and commercial manufacturing scale-up capability. Overall, the company plans to invest £400 million ($540 million) over three years in support of these changes. 

Source: GSK 

Appointments 

Legend Biotech CEO Resigns: Interim CEO Named 
Legend Biotech, a bio/pharmaceutical company focused on cell therapy, has announced that Ying Huang, Ph.D., has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and as a member of the Board of Directors, effective as of July 24, 2026. Dr. Huang will remain as an advisor through August (August 2026) to support a smooth transition. 

The Board has appointed Alan Bash, current President of the company’s Carvykti Business Unit, as Interim CEO. Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), co-developed with Johnson & Johnson, for treating relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, is the company’s top-selling product with 2025 sales of $1.9 billion. The Board has also initiated a search process to identify a permanent successor. Carvykti, the company’s top relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma drug, had 2025 sales of $1.9 billion. 

Source: Legend Biotech 

Neurocrine Biosciences Makes Senior Appointments 
Neurocrine Biosciences, a San Diego, California-based bio/pharmaceutical company, has announced the appointment of three senior vice presidents. The appointments include Bret Paulson, who joins the company as Senior Vice President, Market Access, and the promotions of David Bradfute to Senior Vice President and Global Head of Intellectual Property, and Aaron Vosburgh to Senior Vice President, Finance and Accounting. 

Bret Paulson joins Neurocrine after more than six years at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies, most recently as Vice President and Head of Market Access & Channel Strategy. Prior to that, he was Area Vice President, National Accounts at Horizon after working in the commercial organizations at Schering Plough, Eli Lilly & Company, and Amgen.  

David Bradfute, who joined Neurocrine in 2017, has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Global Head of Intellectual Property and will also serve as Managing Director of Neurocrine Switzerland GmbH, based in the company’s Basel, Switzerland, office. Before joining Neurocrine, Bradfute held leadership roles across the healthcare and life sciences industry, including a 13-year career at Arena Pharmaceuticals and later as Head of Legal and Intellectual Property at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute.  

Aaron Vosburgh, an eight-year Neurocrine employee, will oversee enterprise financial strategy, partnering with executive leadership to align capital allocation, long-range financial planning and portfolio investments. Prior to joining Neurocrine, Vosburgh held senior finance leadership roles at Applied Proteomics, Synthetic Genomics, Verenium Corporation, and Natural Alternatives International, following the start of his career at Ernst & Young.  

Source: Neurocrine Biosciences 

Sarepta Therapeutics Names New CEO 
Sarepta Therapeutics, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based genetics medicines company, named Michael Severino, M.D., formerly CEO of Tessera Therapeutics, a Somerville, Massachusetts-based clinical-stage genetics medicines company, effective July 28, 2026. Severino will also join Sarepta’s Board of Directors. Severino succeeds Doug Ingram, former CEO, who is retiring and will serve the company in an advisory capacity until the end of 2026 to ensure a smooth transition. 

Severino had led Tessera Therapeutics as CEO since June 2022. He co-founded the company in his role as CEO-Partner at Flagship Pioneering, a life-science venture capital firm. He has more than 25 years of industry experience. Prior to Tessera, he served as Vice Chairman and President at AbbVie, where he was responsible for research and development and the corporate strategy office. 

Source: Sarepta Therapeutics