Belén Garijo, the German group's CEO, has told analysts she considers targeted smaller to medium-sized acquisitions to be more likely than major transformational deals but said that "we are always open to something bolder."

The pandemic created a tough environment for sales of both newly launched products and growing products, especially for small-to-medium enterprises. Scrip reviewed the second quarter earnings calls for several SMEs: some are continuing to feel pressure, and some are starting to recover. [See Part 1 for companies reporting a turnaround.]

After apparent long delays in development, AbbVie returns rights to Dong-A's MerTK program, with the South Korean pharma yet to determine the fate of the still preclinical stage assets.

Only two new antibiotics are in Phase III trials for gonorrhea: Entasis’ zoliflodacin, in collaboration with the Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership, and GlaxoSmithKline’s gepotidacin in partnership with the US Biomedical Advanced R&D Authority.