Novartis snaps up Synnovation's breast-cancer treatment for up to $3bn

20th Mar 2026 12:21

(Sharecast News) - Swiss pharma giant Novartis is to pay up to $3bn to Synnovation Therapeutics to acquire a promising breast-cancer treatment that has shown to reduce the unwanted side effects of available medicines.

Novartis is getting its hands on Synnovation's wholly owned subsidiary, Pikavation Therapeutics, which holds a portfolio of so-called pan-mutant selective PI3Kα inhibitor programs, including its lead asset SNV4818.

SNV4818 is currently in a phase II/III clinical study, testing its ability to selectively target PI3Kα mutations in breast cancer while sparing wild-type PI3Kα. Current treatments available block both enzymes, which can result in unwanted side effects and tolerability issues.

Novartis said the drug addresses a "well‑defined patient population with significant unmet need", with around 40% of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor two-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer having PI3Kα mutations.

The Swiss group is spending $2bn upfront and up to $1bn in milestone payments to Synnovation, with the transaction expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to certain conditions and regulatory approvals.

"While mutated PI3Kα is a well‑established driver in HR+/HER2‑ breast cancer, there remains a challenge in achieving effective pathway inhibition with a tolerable therapeutic profile," said Shreeram Aradhye, Novartis's managing director and president of development.

"SNV4818 applies new mutant‑selective chemistry to more precisely target tumor biology while sparing normal cells. This approach has the potential to translate proven biology into improved tolerability and more durable benefit for patients through precision medicine."

Novartis shares were up 0.6% in Zurich at CHF117.52 by 1328 GMT.