The Daily Biotech Pulse: UCB To Buy Ra Pharma, Reata Reacquires Rights To Nrf2 Activators From AbbVie, BioNTech IPO

Here's a roundup of top developments in the biotech space over the last 24 hours:

Scaling The Peaks

(Biotech stocks hitting 52-week highs on Oct. 9)

• Aprea Therapeutics Inc APRE (IPOed Oct. 3)

Down In The Dumps

(Biotech stocks hitting 52-week lows on Oct. 9)

• ABIOMED, Inc. ABMD
• Adamas Pharmaceuticals Inc ADMS
• Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc AERI
• Aerpio Pharmaceuticals Inc ARPO
• AEterna Zentaris Inc. AEZS
• Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc AGIO
• Albireo Pharma Inc ALBO
• Arbutus Biopharma Corp ABUS
• Assembly Biosciences Inc ASMB
• Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc AUPH
• BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. BCRX
• BioNano Genomics Inc BNGO
• BridgeBio Pharma Inc BBIO
• Caladrius Biosciences Inc CLBS
• Calithera Biosciences Inc CALA
• Citius Pharmaceuticals Inc CTXR
• Clovis Oncology Inc CLVS
• CymaBay Therapeutics Inc CBAY
• CytomX Therapeutics Inc CTMX
• DelMar Pharmaceuticals Inc DMPI
• Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc ENTA
• Erytech Pharma SA ERYP
• Exagen Inc XGN
• Fulcrum Therapeutics Inc FULC
• Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd GLMD
• Gossamer Bio Inc GOSS
• Heat Biologics Inc HTBX
• Homology Medicines Inc FIXX
• INmune Bio Inc INMB
• Intellia Therapeutics Inc NTLA
• Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc ICPT
• Iterum Therapeutics PLC ITRM
• IVERIC bio Inc ISEE
• Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals Ltd KNSA
• Neuralstem, Inc. CUR
• Neurometrix Inc NURO
• Neurotrope Inc NTRP
• Novus Therapeutics Inc NVUS
• Obalon Therapeutics Inc OBLN
• Onconova Therapeutics Inc ONTX
• Orgenesis Inc ORGS
• Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp PHIO
• Puma Biotechnology Inc PBYI
• Satsuma Pharmaceuticals Inc STSA
• Sierra Oncology Inc SRRA
• Sorrento Therapeutics Inc SRNE
• Trevi Therapeutics Inc TRVI
• TrovaGene Inc TROV
• Urogen Pharma Ltd URGN
• Viela Bio Inc VIE
• Viking Therapeutics Inc VKTX

Stocks In Focus

Ra Pharma Agrees to be Acquired By UCB For $2.5B In Cash

Ra Pharmaceuticals Inc RARX announced an agreement to be acquired by Belgian biopharma UCB for $48 per share in cash or $2.5 billion in total. The boards of both companies approved the transaction,

The addition of Ra Pharma's Phase 3 asset zilucoplan to UCB's anti-FcRn rozanolixizumab, according to the companies, provide an opportunity to give better treatment options for people living with myasthenia gravis. Additionally, the Ra Pharma deal enables UCB to offer new treatment opportunities for several rare diseases in neurology and immunology as well as different delivery forms, including extended release and orally available product.

Ra Pharma shares were surging 107.36% to $47.06 in pre-market trading.

Reata Reacquires Rights to Nrf2 Activators From AbbVie

Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc RETA has reacquired the development, manufacturing and commercialization rights covering its proprietary Nrf2 activator product platform originally licensed to AbbVie Inc ABBV for territories outside of the U.S., with respect to bardoxolone methyl, and worldwide with respect to omaveloxolone and other next-generation Nrf2 activators.

For the reacquisition of rights, Reata has agreed to pay AbbVie a total of $330 million in cash. AbbVie will also receive low single-digit, tiered royalties from worldwide sales of omaveloxolone and certain next-generation Nrf2 activators, and no royalties on bardoxolone.

On The Radar

Clinical Trial Readouts

Akari Therapeutics PLC AKTX is scheduled to present additional Phase 2 data for Coversin in bullous pemphigoid at the 28th European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, or EADV, Congress being held in Madrid, Spain.

AbbVie Inc ABBV is due to present Phase 3 data for Risankizumab in psoriasis at the EADV Congress.

ProQR Therapeutics NV PRQR will present Phase 1/2 data for sepofarsen in Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), an inherited eye disorder that primarily affects the retina. The presentation will be made ahead of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's annual meeting to be held in San Francisco, California.

IPOs

"BioNTech," a German biotech developing individualized monotherapies for cancer, priced at its downsized offering of 10 million shares at $15 per share, below the estimated price range of $18-$20. The company's shares are to be to listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "BNTX."