After apparent long delays in development, AbbVie returns rights to Dong-A's MerTK program, with the South Korean pharma yet to determine the fate of the still preclinical stage assets.

Also, news on transactions involving Neurocrine/Idorsia, Neurotrope/Metuchen, jCyte/Santen, PTC/Censa, Hoth/Chelexa, Skyhawk/Merck & Co., Orexo/Gaia, Karo/J&J, MaxCyte/Caribou, Mediolanum/ElsaLys, Avectas/ONK

Pipeline Watch is a weekly snapshot of selected late-stage clinical trial events announced by pharmaceutical and biotech companies at medical and industry conferences, in financial and company presentations, and in company releases and statements.

Celgene will pursue "high-impact" indications using Vividion's proteomics technology, while Magenta will use Heidelberg's technology to try to optimize bone marrow transplants.