Pfizer avoided US tariffs by offering big drug discounts (TrumpRx). This deal is a blueprint. European drug stocks (AstraZeneca, Roche) surged hoping for similar agreements to protect their crucial sales from Trump's 100% import tax threat.
President Trump is hitting imports with massive new tariffs starting October 1st, targeting branded drugs (100%), heavy trucks (25%), and furniture.
Novartis acquires Tourmaline Bio for $1.4B, gaining pacibekitug, a Phase 3-ready anti-inflammatory drug for heart disease (ASCVD), targeting IL-6. This boosts Novartis's cardiovascular pipeline, addressing unmet needs in reducing residual inflammatory risk.
Novartis partners with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals for ARO-SNCA, an innovative RNAi therapy targeting alpha-synuclein for Parkinson's Disease. The deal includes a $200M upfront payment and up to $2B in potential milestones.
Novartis targets rare disease biotech Avidity Biosciences in a $4.3B takeover bid, aiming to boost its pipeline and offset major patent cliffs.
