Novartis acquisition to address inflammation-driven diseases

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Under a new deal, Novartis has agreed to acquire US-based biopharma company IFM Therapeutics, for a total of up to $835 million. As part of this new agreement, Novartis has exercised its option to acquire all outstanding capital stock of IFM Due, a subsidiary company of IFM. Therefore, under the acquisition, Novartis has full rights to IFM Due’s portfolio of small molecule Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) antagonists, IFM confirmed.

Through the full acquisition, IFM will be eligible for potential milestone payments of a combined value of up to $835 million.

These treatments have potential to treat various serious inflammation-driven diseases. For example, these are conditions caused by excessive interferon and other pro-inflammatory cytokine signalling, according to IFM Therapeutics.

This pathway works in the innate immune system to sense cytosolic DNA by triggering a STING-dependent inflammatory response. The associated dysregulation is thought to be a cause a variety of serious inflammation-driven diseases, IFM stated.

CEO of IFM, H Martin Seidel, stated that the company believes that “selectively targeting STING to block the cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase, Stimulator of Interferon Genes (cGAS-STING) pathway has the potential to deliver a powerful therapeutic option for patients with serious chronic illnesses.”

“We are excited to advance IFM Due’s STING programme… to bring forward transformative medicines that address major unmet patient needs,” commented Richard Siegel, Global Head of Immunology Research at Novartis.

Further details of Novartis’ current acquisition

The current acquisition follows a four-year preclinical collaboration between Novartis and IFM, according to Siegel.

In September 2019, IFM Due entered into an option and collaboration agreement with Novartis, who agreed to finance IFM Due’s research and development costs for the cGAS-STING programme. IFM explained that Novartis was then eligible for the option to acquire IFM Due.

IFM shared that its subsidiary was launched in 2019 with a goal of developing small molecules that inhibit the cGAS-STING pathway.