Major M&A deals impacting bioanalysis in 2026

Written by Emma Hall (Editor)
Collaborations and mergers News

With the second half of 2025 having picked up and ending with several strong mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals, the life sciences sector enters 2026 with similar confidence. As always, therapeutic focus drives activity, with attention homing in on cardiometabolic, CNS, oncology and immunology areas.

In this article, we review some of the largest deals so far, as well as forecasts for the rest of the year.

Sanofi and Earendil agree on a bispecific antibodies deal

  • Date: January 5, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $2.56 billion
  • Impact: One of the earliest deals of 2026, the agreement aims to identify and develop new treatments for autoimmune diseases using Earendil’s (DE, USA) AI-driven drug discovery platform. The partnership allows Sanofi (Paris, France) to expand its immunology pipeline by accessing novel drug targets and early-stage candidates without acquiring the company outright, while Earendil gains funding and the development infrastructure needed to move programs towards clinical-stage [1].

Amgen buys British biotech Dark Blue Therapeutics

  • Date: January 6, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $840 million
  • Impact: Dark Blue’s (Oxford, UK) lead candidate is a small-molecule protein degrader targeting pathways implicated in acute myeloid leukemia, reflecting Amgen’s (CA, USA) push into targeted protein degradation, which is an emerging drug modality with significant oncology potential. The motivation appears to be both technological and competitive: large pharma companies are increasingly acquiring early-stage degrader platforms to secure differentiated oncology assets before they reach clinical proof-of-concept [2].

Eli Lilly agrees to buy Ventyx Biosciences

  • Date: January 7, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $1.2 billion
  • Impact: One of two big buyouts from Lilly (IN, USA) so far, this time driven by a focus on expanding its portfolio in autoimmune disease treatments. Ventyx Biosciences (CA, USA) specializes in developing small-molecule therapies targeting a wide range of immune-mediated diseases, specifically in areas such as dermatology, rheumatology and gastroenterology, with several promising late-stage therapies, for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease and cardiometabolic diseases [3].

Charles River Laboratories will acquire the remainder of PathoQuest

  • Date: January 12, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $510 million
  • Impact: Charles River (MA, USA) announced it would acquire the remaining 79% stake in PathoQuest (Paris, France), having already owned ~21% of the company from an earlier investment in 2018. PathoQuest is a specialist in next-generation sequencing testing used in biologics manufacturing quality control, particularly for detecting viral contamination and genetically characterizing cell lines or viral vectors. After the acquisition closes, PathoQuest will be integrated into Charles River’s Biologics Testing business, with the addition of rapid in vitro GMP and non-GMP testing capabilities [4].

AbbVie and RemeGen announce agreement to develop a novel bispecific antibody

  • Date: January 12, 2026
  • Value: US $5.6 billion
  • Impact: The bispecific antibody in question is RC148, which targets PD-1 and VEGF for multiple advanced solid tumors such as lung and colorectal cancer. Strategically, the deal allows AbbVie (IL, USA) to expand into the fast-growing bispecific antibody field within oncology [5].

SciNeuro and Novartis sign deal to develop Alzheimer’s drugs

  • Date: January 12, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $1.7 billion
  • Impact: With SciNeuro Pharmaceutical’s (MD, USA) proprietary technology to help drugs cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the brain more effectively, Novartis (Basel, Switzerland) gains access to a novel drug-delivery platform that could differentiate Alzheimer’s therapies, since many current treatments struggle to reach effective concentrations in the brain [6].

GSK nab RAPT Therapeutics

  • Date: January 20, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $2.2 billion
  • Impact: Just recently completed on March 3, the acquisition strengthens GSK’s (London, UK) immunology pipeline, particularly through RAPT’s (CA, USA) monoclonal antibody candidate ozureprubart, which targets IgE and is being developed for conditions such as food allergies, asthma and chronic hives [7].

Eli Lilly signs a global research collaboration and licensing deal with Seamless Therapeutics

  • Date: January 28, 2026
  • Value: US $1.12 billion
  • Impact: Seamless Therapeutics (Dresden, Germany) specializes in developing novel approaches to reprogram site-specific recombinases, enabling precise and flexible gene editing. This partnership allows Lilly to leverage Seamless’ innovative platform to address genetic diseases and expand its capabilities in next-generation therapeutics [8].

Moderna and Recordati join forces to develop rare disease mRNA therapy

  • Date: January 29, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $160 million
  • Impact: Moderna (MA, USA) and Recordati (Milan, Italy) have partnered to develop mRNA-based therapies targeting rare diseases, combining Moderna’s expertise in mRNA technology with Recordati’s specialization in rare disease treatments. The collaboration aims to leverage Moderna’s innovative platform to address unmet medical needs in the rare disease space, while Recordati brings its deep knowledge of rare disease markets and patient populations. The partnership highlights the growing potential of mRNA technology beyond vaccines, expanding its application into therapeutic areas with significant clinical and commercial opportunities [9].

Eli Lilly advances cell therapies with Orna Therapeutics acquisition

  • Date: February 9, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $2.4 billion
  • Impact: Another deal from Lilly, this time accompanied by Orna’s (MA, USA) in vivo CAR-T pipeline, which includes potential best-in-class programs to reset the immune system and target B cell-driven autoimmune diseases [10].

Gilead will acquire Arcellx

  • Date: February 23, 2026
  • Value: US $7.8 billion
  • Impact: Arcellx (CA, USA) is known for its innovative ARC-sparX platform, which enhances the precision and efficacy of CAR T-cell therapies. It’s one of the largest deals so far this year, strengthening Gilead’s (CA, USA) position in the cell therapy space, complementing its existing oncology portfolio and advancing its efforts to develop transformative treatments for patients with difficult-to-treat conditions. The deal also expands on a previous collaboration with Kite Pharma (also CA, USA), a Gilead company, and Arcellx to co-develop and co-commercialize anito-cel, which has significant potential for treating patients with multiple myeloma [11].

GSK to buy Canadian biotech company 35Pharma

  • Date: February 25, 2026
  • Value: Up to US $950 million
  • Impact: A second major acquisition from GSK this year, this time for 35Pharma (Montreal, Canada), which specializes in developing treatments for fibrotic diseases and other conditions with high unmet medical needs. The acquisition aligns with GSK’s strategy to expand its portfolio in priority therapeutic areas and utilize 35Pharma’s expertise to accelerate the development of novel medicines [12].

Future outlook for 2026

Hot on the heels of 2025’s flurry of M&A activity, the trends driving 2026 reflect a combination of strong dealmaking fundamentals, industry-specific pressures and evolving geopolitical and regulatory landscapes. Let’s break it down.

1. Financial strength and deal capacity:

Big pharma companies have amassed an estimated US $1.2 trillion in dealmaking capacity today. Despite a rebound in M&A activity in 2025, much of this capital remains untapped, enabling companies to strategically invest in innovative assets [13, 14].

China is also poised to be highly influential in 2026 pharmaceutical and biotech deals, solidifying its role as a global innovation hub. The country now contributes approximately 30% of the global biotech pipeline and has become a major player in high-value alliances and M&A activities, with China-based companies participating in several of the highest-value deals in 2025 [15].

2. Urgency from the patent cliff:

The looming patent cliff is a major driver of M&A activity, with over US $230 billion in biopharma revenue at risk due to loss of exclusivity by 2030. Blockbuster drugs like Keytruda, Gardasil, Eliquis, and Jardiance are among those losing exclusivity, creating significant pressure on big pharma to replenish its pipelines. This urgency is driving acquisitions of biotech companies with promising clinical-stage assets, particularly in oncology, rare diseases and advanced therapeutics like RNA and cell therapies [14].

3. Evolving policy and regulatory landscape:

We’re all well aware of the volatility in the regulatory space right now. Nevertheless, the US policy environment has stabilized, with concerns about tariffs and most-favored-nation drug pricing easing. Big pharma has mitigated these risks by committing to US manufacturing and R&D investments and signing agreements to lower drug prices for Medicaid and direct-to-patient offerings.

On the other hand, global regulatory divergence remains a challenge. In Europe, the finalization of the EU Pharmaceutical Legislation and European Biotech Act is expected to introduce significant changes, while the US-China strategic rivalry and the BIOSECURE Act (passed by Congress on 17 December 2025) complicate cross-border collaborations. Companies are also exploring new markets, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which offer significant commercial potential [14].

4. The rise of AI and digital transformation:

Needless to say, AI is changing the pharmaceutical landscape, with increased interest in AI-focused biotech firms and partnerships. High-profile collaborations, such as the $1 billion partnership between Lilly and NVIDIA (CA, USA) to establish an AI co-innovation lab, highlight the industry’s focus on leveraging AI for drug discovery and development. While concerns about a potential AI market bubble persist, the integration of AI into pharma R&D is expected to accelerate innovation and improve efficiency [16].

5. Innovation pipelines:

Emerging biopharma companies now represent 70% of all clinical-stage assets, with a significant portion remaining unpartnered. However, the IPO market has yet to fully recover, and venture capital funding in 2025 fell below historical averages. These financial constraints are driving smaller biotech firms to pursue M&A deals or partnerships as they look for funding to progress their pipelines [14].

Disclaimer: the opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not express the views or opinions of Bioanalysis Zone or Taylor & Francis Group.

References

  1. PR Newswire. Earendil Labs Announces Strategic Collaboration with Sanofi to Discover Bispecific Antibodies for Autoimmune Diseases. Accessed 5 March 2026.
  2. Amgen. Amgen acquires Dark Blue Therapeutics, bolstering oncology pipeline. Accessed 25 February 2026.
  3. Eli Lilly. Lilly to acquire Ventyx Biosciences to advance oral therapies targeting inflammatory-mediated diseases. Accessed 25 February 2026.
  4. Charles River. Charles River Laboratories Provides Business Updates. Accessed 5 March 2026.
  5. AbbVie. AbbVie and RemeGen Announce Exclusive Licensing Agreement to Develop A Novel Bispecific Antibody for Advanced Solid Tumors. Accessed 5 March 2026.
  6. SciNeuro. SciNeuro and Novartis Enter into a Licensing and Collaboration Agreement for Next Generation Therapeutics to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease. Accessed 5 March 2026.
  7. GSK. GSK enters agreement to acquire RAPT Therapeutics. Accessed 9 March 2026.
  8. Seamless Therapeutics. Eli Lilly signs a global research collaboration and licensing deal with Seamless Therapeutics. Accessed 5 March 2026.
  9. Moderna. Moderna Announces Strategic Collaboration with Recordati to Globally Commercialize Investigational Propionic Acidemia Therapeutic (mRNA-3927). Accessed 9 March 2026.
  10.  Eli Lilly. Lilly to acquire Orna Therapeutics to advance cell therapies. Accessed 27 February 2026.
  11. Gilead. Gilead Sciences to Acquire Arcellx to Maximize Long-Term Potential of Anito-cel. Accessed 9 March 2026.
  12. GSK. GSK enters agreement to acquire 35Pharma Inc. Accessed 9 March 2026.
  13. McKinsey & Company. Life sciences: Dealmaking gains momentum as strategic pressures intensify. Accessed 5 March 2026.
  14. IQVIA. Biopharma M&A: Outlook for 2026. Accessed 5 March 2026.
  15. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. Biopharma dealmaking in 2025. Accessed 5 March 2026.
  16. Malheiro V, Santos B, Figueiras A and Mascarenhas-Melo F. The Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Pharmaceutical Innovation: From Drug Discovery to Clinical Trials. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 18(6), 788 (2025).