Deals this week: Catalent Pharma Solutions, China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings, Recu

US-based pharmaceutical company Catalent Pharma Solutions plans to raise $450m through the private placement of senior unsecured notes, due 2026.

The company plans to use the funds for the acquisition of Cook Pharmica.

Hong Kong, S.A.R., China-based pharmaceutical and health products manufacturer China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings (formerly Maxx Bioscience Holdings) has announced the private placement of 47 million shares priced at HK$2.24 ($0.29) a share to raise HK$106.96m ($13.7m).

US-based biotechnology company Recursion Pharmaceuticals and Japanese firm Takeda Pharmaceutical have signed a research agreement to use the former's AI-augmented phenotypic discovery platform to develop pre-clinical candidates for the latter.

Takeda will initially make an upfront payment of $90m followed by royalty payments from the sale of new drugs.

Ferring Pharmaceuticals has signed an agreement with Antares Pharma to acquire the worldwide rights to the latter’s ZomaJet needle-free auto injector device for $14.5m.

The acquisition will strengthen Ferring Pharma’s growth hormone product portfolio.

Both companies involved in the deal are based in the US.

US-based biopharmaceutical company AbbVie has signed a worldwide research licensing agreement with Canadian immuno-oncology company Turnstone Biologics for three of the latter’s oncolytic viral immunotherapies.

The three therapies are under development and based on the Maraba virus.