Ep.234 - Biotech M&A, Biosecure Expands & ASCO Update

Four takeouts with upfront payments north of $1 billion to close out May mark the latest run of VC exits from biotech M&A and help expand the pipelines of large biopharmas in renal, ophthalmic and immunologic indications. On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury’s editors discuss how two of the takeouts -- Asahi Kasei’s buy of Calliditas and Biogen’s acquisition of HI-Bio -- showcase how the renal field is on the rise. Turning to Washington, the editors explain why the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is expanding its remit to Chinese therapeutic developers and commercial competitiveness — with an initial focus on Legend and GenScript. And, finally, they assess data from ASCO that demonstrate how immunotherapies are making progress in “cold” colorectal cancers.