MAY 27·bennettjones.com▲
The Life Sciences Boom: H2 2026 Outlook
At Bloom Burton & Co.’s 2026 Healthcare Investor Conference in Toronto, Eric Tokat of Centerview Partners said life-sciences M&A is rebounding. In 2026 YTD, biopharma saw 14 deals worth US$49B, after US$112B in 2025. He cited patent expiries, rising competition, and private deals (~40% YTD), plus China licensing growth (McKinsey: 28% of top-20 pharma licensing deals in 2024 involved Chinese firms).
MAY 26·finance.yahoo.com→
If Viking Therapeutics Is Acquired, Here’s Who Wins
Polymarket traders and analysts are focusing on Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) as an obesity M&A target, citing an estimated 38.5% implied acquisition probability before 2027. The company has no revenue and a ~$3.59B market cap; shares closed at $30.89 on May 22, 2026. Analysts’ mean target is $92.33. Viking’s oral VK2735 showed up to 12.2% weight loss at 13 weeks, and Phase 3 VANQUISH-1 is fully enrolled with 4,500+ patients. Potential buyers mentioned include Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Novo Nordisk.