Core Insights - Novartis is reportedly close to acquiring Avidity Biosciences for over $70 per share, with an announcement potentially coming soon [1] - Avidity focuses on developing RNA therapeutics, specifically antibody oligonucleotide conjugates, which modify gene expression to treat diseases [2] Company Developments - Novartis is increasing its investment in research and development, committing $23 billion to enhance its U.S. infrastructure, including a new R&D hub in San Diego [3] - The company has made strategic partnerships with Anthos Therapeutics and Regulus Therapeutics to advance its drug development in cardiovascular and kidney diseases [3] Market Performance - Avidity's stock closed at $49.15, with a market capitalization of approximately $7.2 billion, reflecting a nearly 70% increase since the start of the year [4] - Novartis shares closed at $130.36 [4]

Group 1: Acquisition of Avidity Biosciences - Novartis AG is reportedly close to acquiring Avidity Biosciences Inc. for over $70 per share, with a potential announcement as early as October 26 [1][2] - The discussions for the acquisition have been ongoing since August 2025, indicating a strategic move by Novartis to expand its portfolio [5] Group 2: Recent Acquisitions - In September 2023, Novartis acquired Tourmaline Bio for $1.4 billion on a fully diluted basis, enhancing its biopharmaceutical capabilities [5] - Earlier in 2025, Novartis agreed to purchase Regulus Therapeutics for up to $1.7 billion, gaining access to an experimental drug for a life-threatening kidney disease [5] Group 3: New Product Approval - Novartis received US FDA approval for Remibrutinib, branded as Rhapsido, for treating chronic spontaneous urticaria, which affects patients' quality of life [4] - The drug has the potential to be approved for multiple conditions and could serve approximately 1.7 million patients in the US suffering from chronic spontaneous urticaria [5]

Core Viewpoint - Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG is nearing an acquisition of U.S. biotech Avidity Biosciences for over $70 per share, indicating a strategic move to enhance its portfolio in the biotech sector [1] Company Summary - Novartis AG is actively pursuing the acquisition of Avidity Biosciences, which reflects its ongoing strategy to expand its presence in the biotechnology market [1] - The acquisition price is reported to be over $70 per share, suggesting a significant valuation for Avidity Biosciences [1] Industry Summary - The potential acquisition highlights the increasing trend of consolidation within the biotech industry, as larger pharmaceutical companies seek to acquire innovative biotech firms to bolster their product pipelines [1]

Group 1: Novartis and Avidity Biosciences - Novartis AG is reportedly nearing a deal to acquire Avidity Biosciences Inc., focusing on rare diseases [2] - Avidity's market capitalization was approximately $4.6 billion at the time of Novartis's interest [2] - Avidity specializes in developing Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs) for neuromuscular conditions such as DM1, FSHD, and DMD [2] Group 2: TotalEnergies and Mozambique LNG Project - TotalEnergies has reported a $4.5 billion increase in costs for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique since construction was halted in 2021 [3] - The project, initially valued at $20 billion, had its "force majeure" status lifted, but full construction restart depends on government approval of an updated development plan [3] - Once operational, the project is expected to significantly enhance Mozambique's position as an LNG exporter [3] Group 3: Geopolitical Developments - Russian air defense forces successfully shot down a drone targeting Moscow, highlighting ongoing tensions in the region [4] - Israeli Defense Minister reaffirmed defense commitments near the Lebanese border, indicating continued regional security concerns [5] - UK Prime Minister is set to visit Turkey for talks, including discussions on a multibillion-dollar Eurofighter Typhoon deal [6]

This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. Novartis is making one of the largest dealmaking gambles in its history, agreeing on Sunday to spend billions of dollars to acquire biotechnology company Avidity Biosciences, which is working on RNA medicines for rare neuromuscular conditions. Per deal terms, Novartis is paying $72 per share to acquire Avidity. The offer values Avidity at $12 billion and repre ...

Core Viewpoint - Novartis is in advanced discussions to acquire Avidity Biosciences, with an offer expected to exceed $70 per share [2] Company Summary - Novartis is a Swiss pharmaceutical company actively pursuing the acquisition of Avidity Biosciences, a U.S.-based company [2] - The acquisition discussions indicate Novartis's strategy to expand its portfolio and enhance its market position [2] Financial Details - The proposed offer for Avidity Biosciences is reported to be over $70 per share, reflecting a significant valuation for the target company [2]

Novartis AG is nearing a deal to buy biotechnology company Avidity Biosciences Inc., according to a person familiar with the matter https://t.co/7FDQGbuqm0 ...

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) is one of the stocks that was recently put under the microscope by Jim Cramer. During the lightning round, a caller asked if they should buy, sell, or hold the stock. In response, Cramer said, “Oh, come on, Vas [CEO Vasant (Vas) Narasimhan] is a winner… I’m a buyer of Novartis.” lucarista/Shutterstock.com Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) develops, manufactures, and markets prescription medicines across cardiovascular, immunology, neuroscience, oncology, and hematology areas. Loomis Sayles s ...

Core Insights - Novartis is set to present data from 27 abstracts related to its Immunology portfolio at the 2025 ACR Convergence, including pivotal Phase III results for ianalumab in Sjögren's disease and biomarker data for rapcabtagene autoleucel in systemic lupus erythematosus [1][7] Group 1: Ianalumab and Sjögren's Disease - Ianalumab is an investigational therapy that may become the first targeted treatment for Sjögren's disease, which currently lacks FDA-approved options [2] - The NEPTUNUS-1 and NEPTUNUS-2 trials demonstrated significant reductions in disease activity for patients with Sjögren's disease [5][7] - Presentations will include insights into the dual mode of action of ianalumab, focusing on B cell depletion and blockade of B cell activating factor receptor signaling [3][5] Group 2: Rapcabtagene Autoleucel - Rapcabtagene autoleucel is a novel CAR-T cell therapy being evaluated for its potential to reset the immune system in severe refractory systemic lupus erythematosus [3][7] - Biomarker data from an ongoing Phase 1/2 study will be presented, suggesting a reset of the B cell compartment in patients with severe refractory SLE [8] Group 3: Cosentyx Data - Real-world data on Cosentyx (secukinumab) will be shared, particularly in relation to its use in psoriatic arthritis [3][8] - The data will compare the incidence of psoriatic arthritis in patients treated with different interleukin inhibitors [8] Group 4: Investor Engagement - Following the ACR event, Novartis will host a conference call for investors to discuss updates on its Immunology pipeline [4]

Core Insights - Novartis is set to present data from 27 abstracts related to its Immunology portfolio at the 2025 ACR Convergence, including pivotal Phase III results for ianalumab in Sjögren's disease and biomarker data for rapcabtagene autoleucel in systemic lupus erythematosus [1][6] Group 1: Ianalumab and Sjögren's Disease - Ianalumab is an investigational therapy that may become the first targeted treatment for Sjögren's disease, which currently has no FDA-approved therapies [2][5] - The NEPTUNUS-1 and NEPTUNUS-2 trials demonstrated significant reductions in disease activity for patients with Sjögren's disease [5][6] - The dual mode of action of ianalumab involves targeting B cells and blocking B cell activating factor receptor signaling [7] Group 2: Rapcabtagene Autoleucel - Rapcabtagene autoleucel is a novel CAR-T cell therapy being evaluated for its potential to reset the immune system in several refractory autoimmune diseases [3][6] - Biomarker data from a Phase 1/2 study suggests a reset of the B cell compartment in severe refractory systemic lupus erythematosus [6][7] Group 3: Cosentyx Data - Real-world data on Cosentyx (secukinumab) will be presented, focusing on its use in psoriatic arthritis [3][6] - A retrospective study comparing the incidence of psoriatic arthritis in patients treated with different interleukin inhibitors will also be discussed [7] Group 4: Investor Engagement - Following the ACR event, Novartis will host a conference call on October 30, 2025, to update investors on its Immunology pipeline [4][6]