Sumitomo’s novel AML candidate has shown early clinical promise and been granted US Fast Track status for a form of AML, which looks set to aid the Japanese firm's strategic shift to oncology following recent CNS setbacks. 

Sepranolone may have progressed positively through a Phase IIa trial but its potential to reduce tics has failed to tempt any of the 20 or so potential partners that the Swedish biotech spoke to about a licensing deal.

The head of the Basel-headquartered giant is no fan of bidding wars when it comes to dealmaking. "If we are outbid and it’s not within our envelope, we just walk away and we’re okay with that.”

Following a pair of $10bn+ deals in Q4 2023 and a $16.5bn takeout in Q1, the second quarter saw no acquisition priced as high as $5bn, Evaluate notes. Aggregate deal volume and values dropped from Q1.