Immunology and inflammation
Apogee’s pipeline in a product drug zumilokibart achieved significant disease clearance in a mid-stage atopic dermatitis trial, but investors were miffed by a royalty financing deal with Blackstone.
The tragic tale of TIGIT is well known. However, RIPK1, myc, STING and alpha-synuclein have also left a trail of failed clinical trials, canceled partnerships and sunk investments in their wake.
UCB’s Bimzelx elicited significantly stronger joint relief at 16 weeks than AbbVie’s Skyrizi in a Phase 3 head-to-head study of psoriatic arthritis.
Degron Therapeutics will have stiff competition in immunology, as Novartis inked a $5.7 billion agreement with Monte Rosa Therapeutics last year to develop molecular glues for undisclosed immune-mediated conditions.
Of the 13 programs that the companies will advance, four will come from Hengrui Pharma and four from Bristol Myers Squibb. The remaining five assets will be jointly discovered.
For $300 million upfront, Bayer is purchasing Perfuse Therapeutics to advance an eye implant for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, marking the company’s first pharma acquisition since 2021.
Viridian Therapeutics’ elegrobart normalized the degree of eye protrusion and improved double vision in a Phase 3 study. The company plans to file for approval in the first quarter of 2027.
Candid Therapeutics follows closely behind Neurona Therapeutics, which UCB acquired in mid-April in a potential $1.15 billion deal.
Strong growth in immunology and neurology prompted AbbVie to raise its 2026 outlook and consider future M&A from a position of “ample financial capacity.”
Coultreon Biopharma is advancing assets that target salt-inducible kinases, proteins that drive inflammation and other immune-mediated conditions.
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