J&J announces $6.5bn Momenta acquisition, days after Sanofi deal
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is set to buy biotech Massachusetts-based Momenta Pharmaceuticals for $6.5 billion, in a move aimed at strengthening its portfolio of autoimmune disease treatments.
J&J announced its acquisition—which will give the company full global rights to Momenta’s experimental drug nipocalimab (M281)—yesterday, August 19.
Nipocalimab recently received a rare pediatric disease designation from the US Food and Drug Administration. The drugmaker is planning to pursue indications for nipocalimab across a range of autoimmune diseases with substantial unmet medical need in maternal-foetal disorders, neuro-inflammatory disorders, rheumatology, dermatology and autoimmune hematology.
Jennifer Taubert, executive vice president, worldwide chairman, pharmaceuticals at J&J, said: “This acquisition broadens Janssen’s leadership in autoimmune diseases and provides us with a major catalyst for sustained growth. Autoantibody-driven diseases are often serious, and patients are underserved by current treatment options.”
J&J’s announcement comes just days after news broke that Sanofi had agreed to acquire biopharma company Principia Biopharma for $3.7 billion.
Late-stage biopharmaceutical company Principia Biopharma focuses on developing treatments for immune-mediated diseases.
Sanofi will acquire Principia’s bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, building the French company’s portfolio of “the next generation of transformative treatments for autoimmune diseases”.
“BTK is present in the signaling pathways of key innate and adaptive cell types of the immune system. Being able to block or disrupt these signaling processes can help in stopping inflammation and tissue destruction related to autoimmune diseases and target some of the underlying pathophysiology,” said the announcement.
Sanofi will gain full control of Principia’s brain-penetrant BTK inhibitor SAR442168 in multiple sclerosis.
Back in 2017, Sanofi was granted an exclusive, worldwide licence to develop and commercialise BTK inhibitor ‘168 in multiple sclerosis and other central nervous system diseases.
Paul Hudson, Sanofi’s CEO, said: “The addition of multiple BTK inhibitors to our pipeline demonstrates our commitment to strategic product acquisitions in our priority therapeutic areas. Full ownership of our brain-penetrant BTK inhibitor ‘168 removes complexities for this priority development programme and simplifies future commercialisation.”
Sanofi will also gain access to rilzabrutinib, an oral BTK inhibitor which is currently being evaluated for patients with moderate to severe pemphigus, a rare, debilitating autoimmune disease that causes blistering of the skin and mucous membranes.
Principia’s PRN473—a topical BTK inhibitor—is being developed for immune-mediated diseases that could benefit from localised application to the skin.
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