Issued: 15 February 2024, London
UK
GSK
completes acquisition of Aiolos Bio
GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today
announced that it has completed the acquisition of Aiolos Bio
(Aiolos), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on
addressing the unmet treatment needs of patients with respiratory
and inflammatory conditions.
As previously announced,[1] the acquisition of Aiolos includes AIO-001, a
potentially best-in-class, long-acting anti-thymic stromal
lymphopoietin (TSLP) monoclonal antibody ready to enter phase II
clinical development for the treatment of adult patients with
asthma. AIO-001 could expand GSK's respiratory biologics portfolio
to potentially reach the 40% of severe asthma patients with low T2
inflammation (a type of overactive immune response associated with
asthma).[2] AIO-001 has the potential to be
administered every six months due to its high potency and long
half-life, which could redefine the standard-of-care.
Tony
Wood, Chief Scientific Officer, GSK, said:
"Given the limited treatment options for asthma
patients with low T2 inflammation, we look forward to using our
deep respiratory expertise to potentially offer a long-acting
biologic to a broader portion of the 315 million patients living
with asthma."
GSK has an industry-leading portfolio
of marketed and investigational medicines to address a range of
respiratory diseases, including biologics aimed at treating the
subset of asthma patients with high levels of eosinophils or high
T2 inflammation. Adding AIO-001 could expand GSK's portfolio to
include a biologic for severe asthma patients with low T2
inflammation.
Financial considerations
Under the terms of the agreement, GSK
will pay a $1 billion upfront payment and up to $400 million in
certain success-based regulatory milestone payments. In addition,
GSK will also be responsible for success-based milestone payments
as well as tiered royalties owed to Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals
Co., Ltd. (Hengrui). AIO-001 was exclusively licensed to Aiolos for
development and commercialisation rights outside of Greater China
by Hengrui.
About AIO-001
AIO-001 is a novel monoclonal
antibody with the potential for longer dosing intervals, such as
every six months, due to its half-life and potency. AIO-001 binds
to the human thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) ligand to inhibit
TSLP signalling. TSLP has a validated, central role in driving
inflammation in asthma.
About GSK in respiratory
For more than 50 years, GSK has led
the way in developing medicines that advance the management of
respiratory conditions, from introducing the world's first
selective short-acting beta agonist in 1969 to launching 13
respiratory medicines and six vaccines to create today's
industry-leading respiratory portfolio. We are investing in
innovative science to transform patient outcomes in existing and
new respiratory disease areas and are pushing the frontiers of
respiratory science to improve the lives of millions of patients
living with respiratory conditions.
About GSK
GSK is a global biopharma company
with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get
ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.
GSK
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Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking
statements
GSK cautions
investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made
by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to
risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not
limited to, those described under Item 3.D "Risk factors" in the
company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2022, and Q4 Results for
2023.
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