As Eli Lilly’s Kisunla (donanemab) enters the Alzheimer’s treatment space, its leading competitor Biogen is undergoing therapy diversification after completing its $1.15bn acquisition of Human Immunology Biosciences (HI-Bio).
The deal, which was agreed upon in May this year and includes $650m in milestone payments, sees Biogen bolster its pipeline with US-based HI-Bio’s anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody candidate felzartamab.
Biogen’s head of development Priya Singhal said the company is “very excited” about the addition of felzartamab to its rosters in a 2 July press release, adding that Biogen will advance the candidate to Phase III now the transaction is complete.
Felzartamab has already demonstrated positive Phase II data in a range of immune-mediated diseases, including IgA nephropathy (IgAN), antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), and primary membranous nephropathy (PMN). The Phase III development plans are for all three diseases, according to Biogen.
Felzartamab was originally developed by MorphoSys as a possible competitor to Johnson & Johnson and Genmab’s multiple myeloma drug Darzalex (daratumumab). After a short stint with Celgene in 2013, the rights for the antibody settled with HI-Bio who licensed it for development outside China in 2022.
Biogen is known for its neuroscience focus, having co-developed the next-generation Alzheimer’s treatment Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb) with Eisai. The drug is predicted to see US sales of $4.6bn by 2030, according to GlobalData’s Pharma Intelligence Centre.
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Your download email will arrive shortly
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData
GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology.
In a previous earnings call, Biogen’s CEO Chris Viehbacher stated the importance of diversifying therapeutic scopes, adding that neuroscience is a “high-risk area.” Eli Lilly has now consolidated that – at least in the Alzheimer’s space – having secured US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval yesterday [2 July] for Leqembi rival Kisunla.
Biogen’s acquisition of HI-Bio’s “pipeline-in-a-product” will expand the former company’s immunology presence. As per a press release announcing the agreement in May, Biogen will keep employees from HI-Bio and establish a team in the San Francisco Bay Area. At the time, Singhal stated that felzartamab is a “strategic addition to the Biogen portfolio” and “will augment [its] pipeline and build on [its] expertise in immunology”.
