M&A

GSK and Aiolos Bio have announced that they have entered into an agreement for GSK to acquire Aiolos for an initial $1bn upfront payment along with up to $400m in success-based regulatory milestone payments.

Aiolos is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a focus on the treatment of patients with certain respiratory and inflammatory conditions.

This acquisition will allow GSK to access Aiolos’s AIO-001, a potentially best-in-class, long-acting anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) monoclonal antibody that is ready to enter phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of adult patients with asthma, although there are other potential additional indications such as chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

By gaining AIO-001, GSK intends to expand its respiratory portfolio to provide an option of a biologic to treat a wider selection of patients living with asthma.

Tony Wood, chief scientific officer at GSK, commented: “We have a proud heritage and deep development expertise in respiratory medicines, especially addressing diseases driven by IL-5 with high levels of eosinophils or high T2 inflammation. Adding AIO-001, a potentially best-in-class medicine targeting the TSLP pathway, could expand the reach of our current respiratory biologics portfolio, including to the 40% of severe asthma patients with low T2 inflammation where treatment options are still needed.”

Khurem Farooq, chief executive officer of Aiolos Bio, added: “We believe that this transaction speaks to the high potential of our long-acting anti-TSLP monoclonal antibody, AIO-001. By uniting with GSK, a leader with decades of experience developing respiratory therapies and a shared commitment to improving patient lives, we’re confident that we can rapidly advance this therapy in the hopes of significantly reducing the treatment burden for patients.”