Global Briefs: Lilly, Ipsen, Shionogi & More
A roundup of news from Eli Lilly and Company, Ipsen, Shionogi, Bain Capital, Ratio Therapeutics, and Bavarian Nordic. Highlights below.
Leadership Appointments
* Lilly Announces Leadership Changes
* Ipsen Appoint EVP, Strategy & Transformation
Mfg News
* Bain Capital, Botanic Properties Buy Massachusetts Site for Biomanufacturing Conversion
* Ratio Therapeutics To Establish New Radiopharma Mfg Facility
* US Gov’t Exercises $144-M Smallpox Vaccine Contract With Bavarian Nordic
M&A News
* Shionogi To Acquire Pharmaceutical Business of Japan Tobacco
Partnering News
* Lilly, Alchemab in $415-M Antibody-Based ALS, Neuro Drug Pact
Leadership Appointments
Lilly Announces Leadership Changes
Eli Lilly and Company has announced several executive leadership changes.
Ilya Yuffa, Executive Vice President and President, Lilly International, will become Executive Vice President and President, Lilly USA and Global Customer Capabilities. In this capacity, Yuffa will lead the US business, including sales, marketing, and commercial capabilities for all marketed products, and will be responsible for the commercialization of upcoming product launches in the US.
Patrik Jonsson, Executive Vice President and President, Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, and President, Lilly USA, will become Executive Vice President and President, Lilly International and will lead all markets outside the US.
Kenneth Custer, Ph.D., General Manager of Lilly Canada, will be promoted to Executive Vice President and President, Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and will join Lilly’s Executive Committee. A 16-year Lilly veteran, Custer began his career at Lilly in sales and marketing before transitioning to Lilly Research Laboratories (LRL), where he led the early development of key immunology and diabetes programs, including tirzepatide. He held roles of increasing responsibility within LRL, including serving as Senior Vice President of Portfolio Strategy and head of Business Development.
Source: Eli Lilly and Company
Ipsen Appoint EVP, Strategy & Transformation
Ipsen, a Paris-based bio/pharmaceutical company, has appointed Laura Réveillon, PhD, formerly a Partner with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), as Executive Vice President, Strategy & Transformation, effective May 14, 2025. She will serve on the Executive Leadership Team and report directly to Ipsen’s Chief Executive Officer, David Loew.
At BCG, Réveillon provided consulting across a variety of areas in portfolio strategy, mergers and acquisitions, go-to-market, and operating model transformation projects. Over her 12-year tenure at BCG, she worked with small biotech firms, global bio/pharmaceutical companies and medical technology companies. She has over 20 years of experience in career broader healthcare industry.
Source: Ipsen
Mfg News
Bain Capital, Botanic Properties Buy Massachusetts Site for Biomanufacturing Conversion
Bain Capital and Botanic Properties, a real estate investment and development firm, have acquired a site in Bedford, Massachusetts, to be redeveloped into a biomanufacturing facility for use for biotech companies.
The redevelopment of the site will transform the property into an 154,000-square-foot, Class A biomanufacturing facility to meet the specialized needs of biotech companies. The facility will feature 12,000 amps of incoming electrical power, 27-foot ceiling heights, up to 18 loading berths, 40’x 40’ column spacing, and a design to allow multiple tenants to operate independent facilities. The property is situated on a prominent 15-acre site along the Route 3 corridor, which is home to a cluster of life science, manufacturing, and technology companies.
Bain Capital and Botanic formed GenesisM, a biomanufacturing brand, to provide life-science tenants needed real estate for clinical and commercial manufacturing needs.
Source: Bain Capital
Ratio Therapeutics To Establish New Radiopharma Mfg Facility
Ratio Therapeutics, a Boston-based clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company, has entered an agreement with the Medical Innovation Technology Management Division of the Wasatch Group, a real estate development, management, and investment firm, to partner and construct a radiopharmaceutical research and manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah
The 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility will support vertical integration of Ratio’s current and future pipeline of radiopharmaceuticals, with capacity to scale manufacturing for future commercial needs as Ratio advances its candidates through clinical trials. The facility is anticipated to be fully operational in the second half of 2027.
Source: Ratio Therapeutics
US Gov’t Exercises $144-M Vaccine Contract With Bavarian Nordic
Bavarian Nordic, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based vaccine company, reports that the US government has exercised additional options, valued at $143.6 million, for the supply of a freeze-dried formulation of Bavarian Nordic’s smallpox vaccine, Jynneos.
The contract is with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
The options support the manufacturing and supply of freeze-dried Jynneos by conversion of bulk vaccine, previously manufactured under other contract options, as well as supplemental payments for all doses procured under the freeze-dried contract, triggered by the demonstration of an extended shelf-life. The supplemental payments will be invoiced pro rata with deliveries of the freeze-dried vaccines. Deliveries under the new contract options are planned for 2026.
Bavarian Nordic has supplied a liquid-frozen formulation of Jynneos to the US government for stockpiling since 2010 and in response to the mpox outbreak in 2022-2023. BARDA has supported the development of a freeze-dried formulation of the vaccine to replenish the stockpile, and in 2017, awarded the company a 10-year contract, which includes options valued at $299 million for the fill– finish of freeze-dried vaccines, of which $284 million has been exercised to-date (May 6, 2025).
Source: Bavarian Nordic
M&A News
Shionogi To Acquire Pharmaceutical Business of Japan Tobacco
Shionogi, a Osaka, Japan-headquartered bio/pharmaceutical company, has agreed to acquire the pharmaceutical operations of Japan Tobacco (JT), a Minato City, Tokyo, Japan-based diversified tobacco and food company, in a deal worth up to approximately JPY 150 billion ($1.05 billion).
JT’s pharmaceutical business focuses on small-molecule drugs in three priority research and development (R&D) areas: (1) cardiovascular, renal, and muscle diseases; (2) immunology and inflammation diseases; and (3 central nervous system disorders. Under the deal, Shionogi would acquire JT’s 55% stake in Torri Pharmaceutical for JPY 70.3 billion ($483 million) as well as JT’s US subsidiary, Akros Pharma, a Princeton, New Jersey-based clinical-stage bio/pharmaceutical company. In addition to acquiring JT’s majority stake in Torri Pharmaceutical, Shionogi, would commence a tender offer for Torii’s remaining shares with the aim of making Torri a wholly owned unit. Torri’s main product areas are: (1) renal diseases and hemodialysis; (2) skin diseases; and (3) allergic diseases.
JT entered the pharmaceutical business in 1987, and in 1998, acquired a majority stake in Torii Pharmaceutical, with JT handling R&D activity with Torri handling manufacturing, sales and promotion activities. Post the closing of the acquisition, Japan Tobacco will focus on two business segments: tobacco and processed food.
The deal is expected to close later in 2025.
Source: Shionogi and Japan Tobacco
Partnering News
Lilly, Alchemab in $415-M Antibody-Based ALS, Neuro Drug Pact
Eli Lilly and Company and Alchemab Therapeutics, a Cambridge, UK-based bio/pharmaceutical company, have entered a licensing agreement for ATLX-1282, Alchemab’s investigational drug candidate for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative conditions, in a deal worth up to $415 million.
The deals builds on a separate discovery collaboration agreement with Lilly announced in January 2025 to discover, develop, and commercialize up to five therapeutic candidates for ALS.
The transaction is worth up to a total of $415 million, including an undisclosed upfront payment, potential discovery, development, and commercialization payments and royalties. Under the agreement, Alchemab will be taking the program through early Phase I clinical trials after which Lilly will lead all further development and commercialization.
Source: Alchemab Therapeutics
