Novartis has acquired Anthos Therapeutics for $925 million upfront to add the anti-factor XI/XIa antibody abelacimab to its late-phase pipeline. The deal includes up to $2.15 billion in regulatory and sales milestones.
Abelacimab, an alternative to current anticoagulants like Xarelto, aims to stop blood clot formation without increasing the risk of bleeding. Anthos had shown promise with abelacimab in phase 2 trials, demonstrating an 80% reduction in venous thromboembolism compared to enoxaparin and a lower rate of bleeding events than Xarelto.
Novartis will oversee the completion of three ongoing phase 3 trials by 2026. The company expects to close the deal in the first half of 2025, following an initial investment of $250 million from Blackstone Life Sciences in 2019.
The acquisition returns Novartis to competition with other factor XI candidates. Regeneron and others are developing antibodies targeting this protein. However, Novartis initially exited the market due to concerns about its cardiovascular treatments and competing generic copies of Xarelto and Eliquis.
Abelacimab’s lead indication is preventing stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. The trial will enroll 1,900 unsuitable patients and compare abelacimab to placebo.
Source: https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/novartis-inks-925m-anthos-takeover-buy-back-phase-3-clot-busting-candidate