Investment news

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. is considering a sale of some emerging-market drugs, as the Japanese drugmaker expands a push to cut debt after its $62 billion takeover of Shire Plc, people familiar with the matter said.

Taisho Pharmaceutical Holdings Co. is nearing a deal to buy Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.’s French over-the-counter unit, people familiar with the matter said, as the Japanese drugmaker seeks to boost its overseas presence.

Swiss drugmaker Roche is buying U.S.-based Jecure Therapeutics, joining Pfizer, Gilead Sciences and Novartis in pursuit of new drugs to treat fatty liver disease.

A leading provider of network-enabled services for hospital and ambulatory customers nationwide, Veritas Capital ("Veritas") and Evergreen Coast Capital ("Evergreen"), today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which an affiliate of Veritas and Evergreen will acquire athenahealth for approximately $5.7 billion in cash.

Discovery Ltd.’s successful 1.85 billion-rand ($131 million) bookbuild puts it on the threshold of starting its banking unit.

Ziylo and Novo Nordisk A/S today announced that Novo Nordisk has acquired all of the shares of Ziylo, a University of Bristol spin-out company based at Unit DX science incubator in Bristol, UK. Ziylo has been pioneering the use of its platform technology - synthetic glucose binding molecules - for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Gilead Sciences Inc. is being roiled by executive departures a year after placing a big bet on the hot world of cancer immunotherapy with its purchase of Kite Pharma.

Pfizer has agreed to pay German biotech firm BioNTech up to $425 million in an alliance to develop more effective influenza jabs, the latest among several major pharma companies to bank on a promising new genetic approach.