Johnson & Johnson is paying approximately $1.25 billion in cash to Numab Therapeutics for the global rights to a novel, investigational first-in-class antibody for inflammatory skin disease atopic dermatitis, under a definitive agreement announced this week.
Numab is a clinical-stage biolechnology company advancing a pipeline of immunology and oncology therapeutics. Its NM26 is ready to enter phase 2 studies for skin inflammation and skin itch tied to AD, the most common inflammatory skin disease.
“To deliver durable, symptom-free remission for the millions of people living with AD, our medicines need to be tailored to target multiple disease-driving pathways in different patient subpopulations,” David Lee, global immunology therapeutic area head, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, said in a prepared statement. “That’s why we are committed to developing differentiated bispecifics that combine the targeting of two distinct disease-driving pathways. NM26 has the potential to deliver a treatment specifically for patients who have inflamed skin associated with intense itching.”
New Brunswick-based J&J said the closing of the transaction is expected in the second half of the year, pending customary approvals and conditions.
“Our goal is to deliver transformational efficacy for all patients living with immune mediated diseases like AD,” Candice Long, worldwide vice president, immunology, for J&J, said in a statement. “Our investment in differentiated bispecifics is the next chapter in our impactful immunology legacy. It reinforces our commitment to address unmet medical needs by leveraging patient insights and our deep disease expertise.”
