Swapping stock and cash, Ionis turns to closely-controlled Akcea for a deal on spurned drug inotersen
Last year, after GlaxoSmithKline unceremoniously dumped its partnership with Ionis on inotersen and a follow-up rare disease therapy, the chief business officer at the biotech said that she was in talks with multiple potential partners interested in taking GSK’s place.
Today, Ionis unveiled the winning player at the bargaining table: Akcea, an affiliate of Ionis, which owns a controlling interest in its stock. And Sarah Boyce, the CBO in charge of the talks at Ionis, is now transferring over to become president of Akcea as it preps a likely commercial launch in the US and Europe.
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