Reflecting its therapeutic focus on gastroenterology, Takeda Pharmaceutical has agreed to a multi-target alliance with Sosei Heptares to discover, develop and commercialise therapeutics that modulate G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) for up to US$1.2 B. The alliance will initially focus on high-priority gastrointestinal targets, but the agreement includes the potential expansion into other therapeutic areas. The deal comes just three weeks after Sosei signed a similar agreement with Roche’s Genentech worth up to US$1 B.