Amgen has agreed to acquire the Reykjavik, Iceland-based, human-genetics R&D company deCODE Genetics. The all-cash transaction values deCODE Genetics at $415 million, subject to customary closing adjustments, and was unanimously approved by Amgen’s board of directors. Read More

Baxter International has agreed to acquire Gambro, a privately held dialysis-product company based in Lund, Sweden, for total consideration of SEK 26.5 billion (USD 4 billion). The transaction will be financed through a combination of cash generated from overseas operations and debt. Baxter expects to maintain its current dividend payout ratio of approximately 40%. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions and is expected to occur in the first half of 2013. Read More

Following a five-year partnership with Exelixis during which Catalent Pharma Solutions has provided analytical, clinical-trial supply, and manufacturing support for Cometriq (cabozantinib), FDA has approved Exelixis’ aforementioned treatment of progressive, metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. Catalent will now continue to be the exclusive commercial drug-supply partner for the 20- and 80-mg capsule dose packs in the US. All US Cometriq capsule manufacturing and packaging operations will be undertaken at Catalent’s 450,000-ft² facility in Kansas City, Missouri. Read More

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have signed a research collaboration and license agreement to develop new therapeutic antibodies that promote an immune system attack against cancer. Under the agreement, MD Anderson grants GSK exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize the antibodies, which activate OX40 (secondary receptor proteins) on the surface of T cells. MD Anderson, through its new Institute for Applied Cancer Science, will collaborate with GSK to conduct preclinical research on the antibodies. Read More

A roundup of additional company and people news from pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, their suppliers, and contract-service providers. Read More