As AbbVie and Allergan near completion of the $63 billion merger, the two companies are shedding some assets in order to meet demands of regulators over concerns of a monopoly.
This morning, AbbVie and Allergan announced plans to divest two assets, one to AstraZeneca and one to Nestle. U.K.-based AstraZeneca will regain the global rights to brazikumab, an investigational IL-23 inhibitor currently in Phase IIb/II development for Crohn’s Disease and in Phase II development for ulcerative colitis. The two companies have terminated their existing licensing agreement ahead of the merger, which brings all rights back to AstraZeneca.
“We’re pleased to bring brazikumab back into the AstraZeneca pipeline. With our expanding presence in immunology, there is an opportunity to address a significant unmet need in inflammatory bowel diseases where the majority of patients are unable to achieve clinical remission with current treatment options,” Mene Pangalos, head of BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca said in a statement.
Nestle will acquire Zenpep (pancrelipase), a treatment for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to cystic fibrosis and other conditions. Nestle will also acquire Viokace, another pancreatic enzyme preparation, as part of the same transaction, the companies said. Greg Behar, chief executive officer of Nestlé Health Science, said that the acquisition of Zenpep is a strategic decision that will enhance the company’s growing medical nutrition portfolio.
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Source: Biospace
