Novartis AG (NVS)

UPDATE 2-Novartis to buy radiology drug specialist Mariana for $1 billion

Novartis agreed to acquire U.S. radiopharmaceutical company Mariana Oncology for $1 billion upfront, boosting its portfolio of precision cancer treatments in development, the Swiss drug manufacturer said on Thursday. Mariana Oncology is working on novel radioligand cancer therapies (RLTs) that have not yet been tested on humans. "The transaction bolsters the Novartis RLT pipeline and expands the company’s research infrastructure and clinical supply capabilities," Novartis said in a statement.