The Canadian firm’s bispecific antibody asset improved response rates in advanced biliary tract cancer patients, potentially setting it up to become the first HER2-targeted drug approved for the disease.

Two $1bn+ alliances were penned in October. Financing reached $7.7bn in biopharma, $636m in device, and $140m in diagnostics.

The deal focuses on the HER2-targeting bispecific antibody zanidatamab, in development for multiple solid tumor indications expressing HER2.

The UK major has teamed up with the US biotech to develop the latter’s HER-2 targeted antibody-drug conjugate, a couple of years after the approval of Blenrep, in what is becoming an increasingly competitive space.