Alexion augmenting pipeline with Zealand, Affibody deals

Alexion took a pair of steps toward further rebuilding its pipeline Wednesday, gaining rights to targets in the complement pathway via a deal with Zealand and adding a clinical-stage molecule from Affibody for IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases.

The deal with Zealand Pharma A/S (CSE:ZEAL; NASDAQ:ZEAL) gives Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) exclusive, worldwide rights to one complement-mediating target, and options to three others. The companies will collaborate on subcutaneous peptide therapies against the targets, with Zealand leading preclinical R&D and Alexion leading subsequent work...