Proactive Investors - GSK PLC (LON:GSK) has announced the US$1.4 billion acquisition of respiratory biopharmaceuticals firm Aiolos Bio.
FTSE 100-listed GSK said the takeover, which will see US$1 billion paid upfront followed by a further US$400 million in performance-linked payments, would offer it access to Aiolos’ long-acting anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) treatment.
“Adding AIO-001, a potentially best-in-class medicine targeting the TSLP pathway, could expand the reach of our current respiratory biologics portfolio,” chief executive Tony Wood said.
The monoclonal antibody treatment is ready to enter phase two clinical development for the treatment of adult patients with asthma, GSK added.
It also has the potential for additional indications, such as chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.
“We believe that this transaction speaks to the high potential of our long-acting anti-TSLP monoclonal antibody,” Aiolos chief executive Khurem Farooq commented.
“By uniting with GSK [...] we’re confident that we can rapidly advance this therapy in the hopes of significantly reducing the treatment burden for patients.”