Replies to post #183876 on Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

LGND still trying to make something of Lasofoxifene, after all these years:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ligand-signs-license-agreement-sermonix-133000551.html

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announces the signing of a license agreement with Sermonix Pharmaceuticals LLC for the development and commercialization of oral lasofoxifene in the United States and additional territories. Under the terms of the agreement, Ligand has received an undisclosed initial payment, and is entitled to receive up to $45 million in potential regulatory and commercial milestone payments and tiered royalties of 6% to 10% on future net sales. Lasofoxifene is an estrogen partial agonist for the treatment of osteoporosis and other diseases.

…Lasofoxifene was discovered through a research collaboration between Ligand and Pfizer that began in 1991[ [!]. The oral, 0.5 mg form of lasofoxifene tartrate was developed by Pfizer under the trade name Fablyn, and progressed through regulatory approval in the EU. After Pfizer acquired Wyeth and its Conbriza (bazedoxifene), a similar SERM program, rights to all forms of lasofoxifene reverted to Ligand in 2011. In July 2013 Ligand licensed lasofoxifene to Azure Biotech for the development of a novel formulation targeting an underserved market in women's health. Also in July 2013 Ligand licensed to Ethicor Pharmaceuticals Ltd rights to manufacture and distribute oral lasofoxifene as an unlicensed medicinal product in the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the Indian Subcontinent.

[DewDiligence]

LGND acquires (private) OMT, Inc. for $178M in cash and stock:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ligand-acquire-omt-inc-leader-210100703.html

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated and OMT, Inc. (Open Monoclonal Technology) announce the signing of agreements for Ligand to acquire OMT, Inc., a leader in genetic engineering of animals for the generation of human therapeutic antibodies through its OmniAb platform.

…OMT has existing licenses with Amgen, Celgene, Genmab, Janssen, Merck KGaA, Pfizer, Seattle Genetics, Five Prime, Symphogen and various other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

…Under the terms of the transaction, Ligand will pay OMT shareholders approximately $178 million, including $92.6 million in cash and $85.4 million in Ligand common stock. Roland Buelow, Ph.D., founder of OMT and a world-renowned antibody researcher, is expected to join Ligand as Vice President of Antibody Technologies and continue working with Ligand on advancing the OMT business.

CC at 4:30pm ET.