Gilead buys NASH program for up to $1.2B
Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) acquires Nimbus Apollo, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of privately held Cambridge, MA-based Nimbus Therapeutics, and its Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase (ACC) inhibitor program for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and the potential treatment of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC) and other diseases.
Under the terms of the deal, Nimbus will receive an upfront payment of $400M and up to $800M in milestones.
Nimbus Apollo's lead product candidate is early-stage Fast Track-tagged NDI-010976, an ACC inhibitor for the treatment of NASH. Phase 1 data will be presented next month at The International Liver Congress 2016 in Barcelona, Spain.
When the transaction is completed, Nimbus Apollo will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gilead. Nimbus Therapeutics will retain ownership of its other R&D subsidiaries. Gilead will be solely responsible for the development and commercialization of NDI-010976 and other ACC inhibitors.
ACC is a master regulator of fatty acid synthesis and oxidation. Inhibiting its action has the potential to prevent the production of new lipids (fats) within the liver and stimulate their breakdown. In animal models of fatty liver, ACC inhibition reduces hepatic fat content, inflammation and fibrosis (scarring), all key characteristics of NASH progression.
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