Shots:

• Bayer acquires AskBio for $2B as upfront and ~2B as milestones with 75% of the milestones to be paid during the next five years. The transaction is expected to be close in Q4’20
• The focus of the acquisition is to foster Bayer’s cell and gene therapy platform with the potential to bring treatments to patients across multiple disease areas. Bayer will own full rights to AskBio's gene therapy platform- including its IP portfolio and an established CDMO
• The acquisition of AskBio will complement Bayer’s 2019 acquisition of BlueRock and lay the foundation for partnerships in AAV therapies. AskBio’s development portfolio includes investigational pre/ clinical-stage candidates for neuromuscular- CNS- CV and metabolic diseases

 ­ Ref: Bayer | Image: FinSMEs