Pfizer Deepens Commitment to Genetic-Drug Future With Deals

  • Partnerships include Beam Therapeutics, Codex DNA and Acuitas
  • CEO touts investments in mRNA tools for cancer, rare diseases

Pfizer headquarters in New York.

Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg
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Pfizer Inc. deepened its commitment to the genetic approach to disease underpinning its Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, striking deals that will give access to three smaller companies’ technology in the area.

In the biggest of the trio, the drug giant agreed to pay as much as $1.35 billion, including $300 million upfront, to Beam Therapeutics Inc. to partner on a technique for editing DNA. Two other deals will give Pfizer access to technology for synthesizing genetic material and delivering it to cells.