Genentech warms biotechs, shareholders with deals

The big biotech financing chill isn’t necessarily thawing after three years, but companies at least are finding creative ways to warm shareholders.
An example: Genentech Inc.’s deal Monday with Forma Therapeutics. The “asset acquisition” deal is a unique way of putting money in the hands of Cambridge, Mass.-based Forma’s backers — including the likes of Lilly Ventures and Bio-One Capital of Singapore — while giving South San Francisco-based Genentech control over development of a potential cancer treatment.

Genentech cancer deal kicks off BIO convention

Now this is the way to get this BIO party started.
South San Francisco biotech powerhouse Genentech is buying into a preclinical cancer-fighting program from Forma Therapeutics of Cambridge, Mass. As it turns out, Genentech’s partnering chief, James Sabry, is on my talk-to list today, the first day of the Biotechnology Industry Organization convention in Washington, D.C.

Genentech buys into Forma cancer drug program

Genentech Inc. will buy the rights to a preclinical program that zeroes in on a single cancer target from Forma Therapeutics.
Specific financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but South San Francisco-based Genentech will make an upfront payment and be responsible for all development work. Genentech will have the option to buy the entire program from Forma.