UK pharmaceutical giant GSK plc (LON: GSK) has announced a deal to acquire Aiolos Bio, a US/UK-based biotechnology company focused on the development of the respiratory antibody AIO-001. Aiolos was established in October 2023 when it secured the rights to develop AIO-001 outside of Greater China from Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
Under the terms of the acquisition, GSK is to pay USD 1 billion upfront, with the potential for an additional USD 400 million in success-based regulatory milestones. GSK will also assume milestone payments and tiered royalties owed to Hengrui under the October 2023 license agreement, the financial details of which have not been disclosed.
AIO-001, a Phase II-ready anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) monoclonal antibody, is recognized for its potential to enable twice-per-year dosing due to its potency and long half-life. TSLP inhibition targets inflammation associated with severe asthma, and the drug is also being investigated for other immune conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU).
The acquisition is seen as highly complementary to GSK’s existing portfolio of respiratory medicines, which are primarily focused on diseases driven by IL-5 with high eosinophil levels or high T2 inflammation. AIO-001’s mechanism of action targets patients with low T2 inflammation levels, a segment that represents around 40% of asthma patients, thereby broadening the scope of GSK’s respiratory offerings.- Flcube.com
