In an attempt to expand its hepatology portfolio, GSK signed a potentially $2 billion agreement with Boston Pharmaceuticals to acquire the rights to efimosfermin alfa, a Phase III-ready therapy for steatotic liver disease (SLD).
The FGF21 analogue, often referred to as BOS-580, was originally in-licensed by Boston Pharma from Novartis in 2020.
According to the terms of the deal, the GSK giant is expected to pay $1.2 billion up front for the business combination, with Boston potentially receiving an extra $800 million in milestone payments. Furthermore, milestone and tiered royalty payments on the asset owed to Novartis will be the responsibility of GSK.
With future development goals for alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), efimosfermin is a once-monthly, potentially best-in-class treatment for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), which includes cirrhosis.
The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) meeting last year featured top-line Phase II data in patients with F2–F3 MASH that demonstrated significant and quick fibrosis reversal, arrested progression, benefits independent of GLP-1 therapy, and improved glycaemic control and triglycerides.
Other FGF21 experimental medications on the market include pegozafermin from 89bio and efruxifermin from Akero Therapeutics. The latter is undergoing late-stage research in order to support a conditional approval in Europe and an accelerated approval file in the US.
This is the second significant arrangement between Boston and GSK; the first was in 2018, when Boston in-licensed five of the British pharmaceutical company's early-stage programs.
Furthermore, GSK plc and Boston Pharmaceuticals have reached a deal wherein GSK will purchase efimosfermin alfa, Boston Pharmaceuticals' principal asset. Efimosfermin is an experimental specialized medication that is phase III ready and has the potential to be the best in its class for treating and halting the progression of steatotic liver disease (SLD). GSK will pay $1.2 billion up front under the deal, with a further $800 million in success-based milestone payments possible.
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The purchase of efimosfermin is in line with GSK's research and development focus on immune system science and is more proof of the company's intention to expand on its in-depth knowledge of fibrosis and auto-inflammation in order to create precision treatments that halt and reverse the progression of disease.