Biotech Investment News: Major Pharmaceutical Deals of Daiichi Sankyo (2015–2025)

Strategic Review: Global Expansion through ADC-Focused Oncology Partnerships

Daiichi Sankyo has built a strong global presence through its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform. While previous partnerships with AstraZeneca and Seagen were instrumental, a major leap came in 2023 with a $22B collaboration with Merck to co-develop three novel ADC candidates.

Key Deals (2015–2025)

• 2017: U.S.-based oncology R&D subsidiary established (DS Pharma Research)
• 2019: Enhertu collaboration with AstraZeneca (HER2 ADC, up to $6.9B)
• 2020: DS-1062 (TROP2 ADC) partnership with Seagen (up to $6.2B)
• 2021: Co-development with Oric Pharmaceuticals (oncology pipeline)
• 2022: Clinical trial network with Sarah Cannon Research Institute
• 2023: Merck collaboration on three ADCs (DS-3939, DS-7300, DS-5322), up to $22B
• 2024: Multiple undisclosed ADC and modality partnerships globally

Strategic Highlights

Enhertu continues to expand across cancer indications, while the Merck deal brings further credibility and scale to Daiichi Sankyo’s ADC program. These partnerships support rapid global development and commercialization efforts.

My Insight

Daiichi Sankyo has made ADC technology its core value proposition and executed on it with discipline and clarity. The collaboration with Merck represents a pivotal moment that may define the company’s growth trajectory over the next decade.

References

• Enhertu Collaboration (2019)
• Seagen Collaboration (2020)
• Merck ADC Collaboration (2023)