Wire · operational-macro
Fierce Pharma Asia—AZ's $2B bet on ivonescimab; Novo buys Hengrui GLP-1; Merck ...
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Fusion42 · 3 October 2026 · Fusion42 review
AstraZeneca invests $2 billion in Summit Therapeutics to develop ivonescimab and related ADC combos; Novo signed a $2.6 billion deal for a preclinical GLP-1/GIP drug from Hengrui Pharma, and Merck committed over $2 billion for a KRAS G12D inhibitor from SciBrunch. These deals mark significant pharma investment in oncology and metabolic disorder preclinical assets, alongside regulatory and legal developments impacting approvals and manufacturing.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Biotech.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
Big pharma is betting heavily on preclinical cancer and metabolic drugs from Asia, opening a sales and partnership window for founders with assets in these areas. Your chances to attract major licence deals or partnerships just improved sharply.
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1 source · 2 Oct 2026
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