Sanofi

AstraZeneca has acquired vaccine bioconjugation specialist Omniose, securing technology and expertise that could boost its efforts to protect people from bacterial threats. Omniose partnered with AstraZeneca in January 2024. Under the three-year pact, the collaborators worked on vaccines against bacterial pathogens, including multidrug-resistant “superbugs.” The partnership built on evidence that Omniose had developed technology to unlock the potential of conjugate vaccines. With the alliance drawing to a close, AstraZeneca has made Omniose a wholly owned subsidiary within its infectious disease unit. “Omniose’s bioconjugation platform represents a differentiated approach to engineering conjugate vaccines and strengthens our ability to develop novel vaccines against serious bacterial infections,” Benjamin Moutier, senior vice president, infectious disease at AstraZeneca, explained in a Nov. 10 release. The first glycoconjugate vaccine came to market in the U.S. in 1987. While linking a polysaccharide to a protein carrier has proved effective against pathogens such as Haemophilus influenzae, the impact of the approach has been limited by the complexity of the chemical processes used to attach bacterial polysaccharides to engineered carrier proteins. Bioconjugation simplifies production by coupling the components inside bacterial cells. GSK acquired bioconjugation technology in 2015 through its $190 million takeover of GlycoVaxyn. Sanofi paid Johnson & Johnson $175 million upfront in 2023 to co-develop a bioconjugate vaccine, although work stopped in 2025 after an interim analysis of phase 3 data revealed insufficient efficacy. Omniose designed its platform to be more versatile than other bioconjugation technologies. The biotech has applied the platform to pathogens including Klebsiella pneumoniae, reporting durable responses in mice. AstraZeneca didn't share the financial details of the deal with Fierce. Omniose’s funding news has centered on grants, with the National Institutes of Health providing $3.6 million in 2022 for Klebsiella pneumoniae vaccine R&D and committing up to $3 million to a Group B Streptococcus project in 2023. Where Big Pharma is placing its bets is one of the hot topics being discussed at Fierce Biotech's high-impact event in London this month. Find out more information and register by clicking on the banner below:

AbCellera has become the latest drug developer to abandon its attempts to crack the OX40 code. The biotech had been developing ABCL575, an antibody drug targeting OX40 ligand to treat atopic dermatitis and other autoimmune conditions. In its third-quarter earnings results on Monday, AbCellera confirmed that a phase 1 study of ABCL575 had hit all its endpoints by “demonstrating a favorable tolerability profile and a pharmacokinetic profile that supports an extended dosing interval.” But that positive start wasn’t enough to persuade the company to persevere with the candidate. Instead, AbCellera confirmed in the earnings release that it “currently does not plan to develop ABCL575 past phase 1.” Explaining the decision, the biotech cited “external developments in the OX40/OX40L class.” It’s true that this drug class has struggled in 2026. In March, Kyowa Kirin shuttered all clinical studies of its Amgen-partnered anti-OX40 monoclonal rocatinlimab for inflammatory diseases over “emerging concerns of malignancies with possible viral or immune-related links.” Four months later, Sanofi revealed it had cancelled plans to submit the anti-OX40 ligand antibody amlitelimab to regulators for atopic dermatitis after admitting the drug “would not represent a meaningful improvement” to existing treatments. That decision was especially tough for Sanofi as it had acquired amlitelimab as part of its $1.1 billion acquisition of Kymab , and gone on to tout the therapy as a potential blockbuster. Still, not everyone is pessimistic about the prospects of this drug class. In September, Inhibrx Biosciences revealed fresh phase 2 data for its hexavalent OX40 agonist INBRX-106 in combination with Keytruda that demonstrated a 48.3% confirmed objective response rate in patients with treatment-naïve, PD-L1 positive metastatic or unresectable recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. At the time, Inhibrix CEO Mark Lappe said the results “strengthen our conviction in OX40-mediated T-cell co-stimulation and give us a strong rationale to expand the program.” While AbCellera may have lost interest in the OX40 mechanism, it has plenty of other drugs in its pipeline to keep it busy. They are led by ABCL635, a neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R)-targeting antibody drug that scored a recent phase 2 win in patients with hot flashes caused by menopause. Executives have been touting ABCL635 as a “potential best-in-class non-hormonal therapy” with “strong differentiation” against approved NK3R competitors like Astellas’ Veozah and Bayer’s Lynkuet. Where Big Pharma is placing its bets is one of the hot topics being discussed at Fierce Biotech's high-impact event in London this month. Find out more information and register by clicking on the banner below:

Illustration by Chantal Dresner, BioSpace The list honors 50 life sciences employers of choice. Employees at SERB Pharmaceuticals and CSL Behring share why their companies stand out. The BioSpace 2027 Best Places to Work list honoring exceptional life sciences employers that have U.S. operations features first-time and repeat winners in the large and small employer categories. Bridgewater, New Jersey–based Amneal Pharmaceuticals ranked No. 1 among the 20 honorees with more than 1,000 employees. It’s the first time the company has claimed the top spot among large employers. Voters appreciated Amneal’s work culture encouraging innovation and growth. Among the 30 honorees with less than 1,000 employees, Palo Alto, California–based BridgeBio came out on top. It’s the second consecutive year the company has ranked first among small employers. Voters highlighted BridgeBio’s commitment to patients and mission as well as its positive, collaborative culture. Eli Lilly and Company , AbbVie, Legend Biotech and argenx rounded out the top five large employers behind Amneal. Tarsus Pharmaceuticals , Mirum , EyePoint and TG Therapeutics finished out the top five small employers after BridgeBio. The Best Places to Work list is based on input from over 8,200 biopharma industry professionals. Nominations were in June, and voting took place through August. BioSpace received over 2,300 open-ended comments regarding what made nominated employers stand out. Biopharma professionals rated employers based on several attributes: compensation; innovation; career growth opportunities; leadership; culture; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); reputation; and flexibility and remote work. “Our 2027 Best Places to Work winners reflect biopharma’s ongoing commitment to thriving work cultures,” said BioSpace CEO Josh Goodwin. “These employers are making their employees feel supported and valued.” To explore what makes this year’s honorees best places to work, BioSpace interviewed employees at SERB Pharmaceuticals and CSL Behring . SERB Pharmaceuticals: Connecting people with the mission and each other At Brussels-based SERB Pharmaceuticals, the Best Places to Work designation is a great recognition of the company’s culture, according to Marie Botin, SERB’s chief HR officer. The organization has a passion for helping patients facing rare diseases and medical emergencies, one that demands expertise, commitment and a willingness to work together, Botin told BioSpace . SERB employees, she said, not only possess those qualities but also see the connection between their contributions and the mission. “This is really important because they understand where we are going, and they understand the impact of what they are doing every day,” Botin said. Ali Kuhn, vice president of HR U.S. at SERB, also noted the tie between employees and the patients they impact. “I think no matter what role you’re in at SERB, whether you’re a key account manager that has direct interface with hospitals and patients at times or in our roles in HR, we feel that impact through global communications, through patient stories, through really a lot of things here, so that’s really important,” she told BioSpace . The Best Places to Work recognition is particularly meaningful at this stage of the company’s evolution, Botin said. Over the past 25 years, she noted, SERB has grown to more than 600 employees while keeping a culture of entrepreneurship, collaboration and teamwork across locations around the world. One way the company unites its people is through an annual challenge in which global teams participate in activities such as walking, biking or horseback riding. While participants meet virtually during the challenge, the winning team spends a few days together in person and enjoys outings such as sporting events and theater productions. In addition to the way people connect to the mission and each other, SERB’s benefits are another reason the company is a best place to work, according to Botin and Kuhn. In the U.S., Kuhn said, those benefits include affordable medical, dental and vision plans. Each year, she noted, SERB ensures that employee premiums are well below benchmark for companies of its size in the pharma industry. Kuhn also highlighted paid parental leave, which SERB added as a U.S. benefit three years ago. The company provides 12 weeks of paid maternity leave for mothers and two weeks of paid paternity leave for fathers. Another reason the company is a best place to work, according to Botin and Kuhn, is it offers many growth opportunities, which Kuhn highlights to prospective employees. “When I describe in interviews what is the environment like, I describe an environment of agility and empowerment and accountability for not only you and your role, but for the global organization,” she said. “And I think that really speaks to individuals that are looking for a company like SERB at the size that we are, with the growth potential that we have.” I think what is important is to make sure that we are keeping this culture fit—the same commitment, the same agility and the same entrepreneurial mindset. Marie Botin, SERB Pharmaceuticals Looking ahead at what can keep SERB a best place to work, Botin said the company is always considering what it can add but noted, “I think what is important is to make sure that we are keeping this culture fit—the same commitment, the same agility and the same entrepreneurial mindset.” CSL Behring: Creating a culture that shapes the day-to-day experience As someone involved in a workstream focused on his company’s employee experience, Jarrat Jordan has significant insight into what makes King of Prussia, Pennsylvania–based CSL Behring a best place to work. The research therapeutic area lead, immunology/transplant and vaccines, at CSL told BioSpace in an emailed response that during his first year with the organization, its strong sense of purpose quickly stood out. Jordan explained that the company has been helping people for more than a century, from its roots of protecting Australian communities against influenza and venomous bites to providing medicines for people with rare and serious diseases around the world today. “There’s something powerful about being part of that legacy,” he said. “People are proud of the work we do and understand the impact it can have on patients and their families.” Jordan also emphasized the importance of culture. “A company can offer exciting roles, competitive compensation and opportunities for growth, but culture is what really shapes the day-to-day experience,” he said. “Creating an environment where talented people want to join, contribute and build their careers is incredibly important. Ultimately, it’s our people who enable our company to do what it does best: develop treatments that save and improve lives.” Culture is especially critical in research, Jordan noted, as collaboration can be the spark behind a new idea or discovery. “When people are engaged and willing to share ideas, challenge one another and go that extra step together, great things can happen,” he said. In describing his employer’s culture, Jordan noted that while CSL is a large global company, it still has “a bit of that small and scrappy spirit.” We have the resources and expertise to take on big challenges, combined with a real desire to be nimble and entrepreneurial,” he added. “To me, that’s a pretty special sweet spot. Jarrat Jordan, CSL “We have the resources and expertise to take on big challenges, combined with a real desire to be nimble and entrepreneurial,” he added. “To me, that’s a pretty special sweet spot.” While he loves the culture, Jordan said what he likes most about working at CSL is probably the people. “I have the opportunity to work with colleagues from all over the world, and there’s a sense of connection that can make it feel like an extended family,” he said. “Those different cultures, experiences and perspectives make the work more enjoyable, but they also bring new ways of thinking that can strengthen our science and innovation.” This year alone, Jordan noted, he has traveled to Australia, Switzerland and China. He said that experience has been amazing and has made him appreciate even more what it means to be part of a truly global company. As he considered what can keep CSL a best place to work moving forward, Jordan said he appreciates that the company isn’t standing still. It’s looking for practical ways to strengthen the employee experience and help people feel connected, engaged and empowered to do their best work, he said. “For me, that’s what being a Best Place to Work is really about,” Jordan added. “It’s not simply earning a designation. It’s continuing to invest in your people and your culture and always looking for ways to be even better.” 2027 Best Places to Work winners, large employers: Amneal Pharmaceuticals , Eli Lilly and Company , AbbVie , Legend Biotech , argenx , Insmed , Jazz Pharmaceuticals , ICON Plc , Moderna , Vertex Pharmaceuticals , Daiichi Sankyo , Lundbeck , Amgen , Sanofi , Regeneron , Novartis , U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) , BioMarin , CSL Behring , Novo 2027 Best Places to Work winners, small employers: BridgeBio , Tarsus Pharmaceuticals , Mirum Pharmaceuticals , EyePoint , TG Therapeutics , SERB Pharmaceuticals , Celldex , Beam Therapeutics , Syner-G BioPharma Group , Vir Biotechnology , Mediar Therapeutics , First Tracks Biotherapeutics , Mirador Therapeutics , Terray Therapeutics , Beeline Medicines , Forge Biologics , Protara Therapeutics , Perspective Therapeutics , Tris Pharma , OmniAb , Science 37 , Nabsys 2.0 , ModeX Therapeutics , Merida Biosciences , Neomorph , Visterra , Taiho Oncology , A2 Biotherapeutics , 4D Molecular Therapeutics , Tessera Therapeutics For more information, visit 2027 Best Places to Work . .responsive-container { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; border: 1px solid #ededed; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Sans-Serif; padding: 20px 20px 10px 20px; } .column-left { flex: 1; max-width: 45%; padding: 20px 20px 10px 20px; } .column-right { flex: 2; padding: 20px 20px 10px 20px; } @media (max-width: 768px) { .column-left, .column-right { max-width: 100%; flex: 100%; padding: 10px 0; } } Subscribe to Career Insider! 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