Global Briefs: Novartis, GSK, Sanofi & More
A roundup of news from the large and mid-sized bio/pharmaceutical companies featuring Novartis, Reckitt, Eli Lilly and Company, GSK, Sanofi, Legend Biotech, Chiesi, Takeda and Gilead Sciences. Highlights below.
For the latest news roundup on small and Emerging Pharma companies, see Biotech Briefs.
Mfg News
* Reckitt Investing $600 M in US To Support OTC & Consumer Products
M&A News
* Novartis Acquires Sironax’s Blood-Brain Drug-Delivery Platform for $125 M
* Lilly Acquires Bio/Pharma Company AtaiBeckley
Partnering News
* GSK, Chimagen in $750-M Deal for T Cell Engager for Multiple Myeloma
* Sanofi Ceding 20 Mature Medicines, 3 Mfg Sites to Chelpharma in Equity Swap Deal
Appointments
* Legend Biotech Names Ex-Novartis Executive as New CEO
* Chiesi Appoints new CEO
* Takeda Announces Retirement of R&D President
ESG News
* Gilead Sciences Expands Royalty-Free Licensing for HIV Drug
Mfg News
Reckitt Investing $600 M in US To Support OTC & Consumer Products
Reckitt, a Berkshire, UK-based consumer products and consumer healthcare company, has announced an up to $600-million, multi-year investment in its US operations across two sites.
Investments will include relocation and integration of its commercial and R&D capabilities into a campus in New Jersey and expanded plans for what is to become its largest over-the-counter (OTC) manufacturing facility in the US. Reckitt has doubled its initial investment for its OTC manufacturing facility in North Carolina, with additional funding supporting expanded production capacity for Mucinex tablets and liquids, its OTC medicine to relieve chest and sinus congestion, as well as increased production volumes for Move Free, joint health dietary supplements The site will open in the first half of 2027.
Reckitt recently relocated its North American campus to New Jersey to support commercial and operational teams. As the next phase of the plan, the company will break ground on a new science and innovation center with capabilities in disinfection, microbiology, surface care, laundry care and personal care.
Reckitt currently employs more than 4,000 employees at seven manufacturing sites and three science and innovation centers in the US.
Source: Reckitt
M&A News
Novartis Acquires Sironax’s Blood-Brain Drug-Delivery Platform for $125 M
Novartis and Sironax, a clinical-stage bio/pharmaceutical company focused on neurodegenerative, inflammatory and immunologic, metabolic, and rare diseases, have announced that Novartis has exercised its exclusive option to acquire the full global rights to Sironax’s blood–brain drug-delivery platform for $125 million, following an option and asset purchase agreement announced in July 2025.
The platform comprises proprietary blood–brain drug-delivery[ modules engineered to potentially enable the in vivo transport of therapeutic modalities, including monoclonal antibodies, peptides, proteins, gene therapies, and other large biologics to the brain, with the potential to expand treatment options for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and other neurological disorders.
Under the agreement, Sironax will receive $125 million following the closing of the transaction. Sironax will also retain rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize selected assets using the platform.
Source: Sironax
Lilly Acquires Bio/Pharma Company AtaiBeckley
Eli Lilly and Company has acquired AtaiBeckley, a clinical-stage bio/pharmaceutical company developing neuroplastogens for treating mental health conditions, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition includes AtaiBeckley’s BPL-003, its lead investigational program for treatment-resistant depression. The transaction was approved by AtaiBeckley shareholders at a special meeting held prior to closing.
Source: Eli Lilly and Company
Partnering News
GSK, Chimagen in $750-M Deal for T Cell Engager for Multiple Myeloma
GSK has agreed to acquire a trispecific T cell-engager (TCE) from Chimagen Biosciences, a Shanghai, China-based bio/pharmaceutical company developing trispecific antibody therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases, in a deal worth up to $750 million.
GSK plans to develop and commercialize the asset for multiple myeloma, with the program expected to enter Phase I trials in 2027. The agreement builds on GSK’s existing relationship with Chimagen, following a previous agreement to acquire CMG1A46, a clinical-stage dual CD19 and CD20-targeted TCE currently in Phase I trials for B-cell malignancies and B-cell dependent autoimmune disorders.
Under the agreement, GSK will pay an upfront fee to acquire full global rights to the TCE program. Chimagen will also be eligible to receive success-based development and commercial milestone payments. The agreement has a total potential value of up to $750 million.
Source: GSK
Sanofi Ceding 20 Mature Medicines, 3 Mfg Sites to Chelpharma in Equity Swap Deal
Sanofi and Cheplapharm, a Greifswald, Germany-based bio/pharmaceutical company that focuses on marketing branded medicines, have entered an agreement under which Cheplapharm would take over from Sanofi a selection of 20 mature medicines and three manufacturing sites worldwide. In return, Sanofi will receive a 26.4% equity stake in Cheplapharm, building on a collaboration that started in 2014.
As part of the project, three manufacturing sites would be transferred to Cheplapharm: Csanyikvölgy in Hungary (400 employees), Jurong in Singapore (100 employees), and Ploërmel in France (65 employees). The teams would continue their activities with existing employment arrangements and collective agreements maintained.
The commercial transfer of the medicine portfolio is planned to begin in the first quarter of 2027, followed by the transfer of the sites, subject to employee information and consultation procedures with employee representatives, regulatory approvals, and customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to be fully completed by the third quarter of 2027.
Source: Sanofi
Appointments
Legend Biotech Names Ex-Novartis Executive as New CEO
Legend Biotech, a bio/pharmaceutical company focused on CAR-T therapies, appointed Ingrid Zhang, currently Chief Commercial Officer at Novartis, as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective September 15, 2026. She succeeds Alan Bash, who has served as Interim CEO since July 2026 and will resume his role as President of Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), a personalized CAR-T cell immunotherapy treating adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, and for which Legend Biotech is partnered with Johnson & Johnson.
Zhang most recently as Chief Commercial Officer for Novartis. During her tenure at Novartis, she also led the company’s China business and innovative medicines organization. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and McKinsey & Company.
Source: Legend Biotech
Chiesi Appoints new CEO
Chiesi Group, a Parma, Italy-based bio/pharmaceutical company, has announced the appointment of David Khougazian, currently Executive Partner, Growth, and Head of Global Engagement at Flagship Pioneering, a life-sciences venture capital company, as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective October 15, 2026.
Khougazian joins Chiesi with 25 years of experience across the global healthcare and life-sciences sectors. Most recently, he served as Executive Partner, Growth, and Head of Global Engagement at Flagship Pioneering, where he supported the growth and development of science-driven healthcare companies and worked closely with leadership teams on long-term value creation, partnerships, financing and organizational development.
Source: Chiesi
Takeda Announces Retirement of R&D President
Takeda has announced that Andy Plump, M.D., Ph.D., President Research & Development (and member of the Board of Directors), will retire from Takeda, effective June 2027.
Dr. Plump will remain an active member of the Takeda Executive Team and will continue to lead R&D until a successor has been announced. He will remain a member of the company’s Board of Directors through the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders in June 2027.
Source: Takeda
ESG News
Gilead Sciences Expands Royalty-Free Licensing for HIV Drug
Gilead Sciences has announced that it has expanded the scope of its six royalty-free voluntary licensing agreements for lenacapavir, the company’s HIV drug, to include investigational once-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
The agreements cover 120 high-incidence countries (which are primarily low- and lower-middle-income) and will support manufacturing readiness, technology transfer, and future supply planning while a Phase III trial evaluating the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of investigational once-yearly intramuscular lenacapavir for HIV prevention, is ongoing.
Source: Gilead Sciences
