Biotech and French partner remain on track to file PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab this quarter in U.S. and EU; meanwhile, Eylea continues strong sales growth – but launch in second indication, diabetic macular edema, is slow.

TOKYO - Astellas has acknowledged that it is a late-comer to the oncology space, but an extension of a non-exclusive license to Regeneron's VelocImmune technology, potentially through 2023, signals the Japanese company's continued effort to become a significant player in the monoclonal antibody space

This first article in a series takes an in-depth look at which pharma/biotech partnerships have the right chemistry to morph from collaboration to merger/acquisition.