Biocon subsidiary Syngene and Strides associate Stelis have entered a deal with the potential to change India’s vaccines and biologics landscape, as the former's growth plans are catapulted. Meanwhile, the Strides group gets to cut debt by selling a unit that made the ill-fated Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine and after Akston Biosciences terminated another COVID-19 vaccine alliance

Plus deals involving Biorchestra, Takeda/F-star, TaiGen/Joincare, Dr Reddy’s/Eris, Kaken/bitBiome, CJ Bioscience/4D Pharma, Ono/Macomics, Daiichi Sankyo/Zymeworks, Celltrion/Genuv and more.

Evopoint and Kaken also ring in the new year with multiple deals. Biocytogen licenses antibodies against a specified target derived from its RenMice platform technology to Hansoh Pharma.

Strides’ biopharma arm Stelis Biopharma has moved closer to approval in the EU and likely the US too for a biosimilar to Eli Lilly’s Forteo in FY23, following GMP certification for its manufacturing units. Meanwhile, merchant bankers have been appointed to evaluate strategic options to raise cash for Stelis.