GSK set to acquire RAPT Therapeutics

GSK has recently announced that it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire RAPT Therapeutics. This acquisition includes ozureprubart, a long-acting anti-immunoglobulin E monoclonal antibody, currently in phase IIb clinical development for prophylactic protection against food allergens.

Note that IgE is a clinically validated target and is the only approved systemic therapy shown to protect patients from a harmful allergic and inflammatory immune response. Around 94% of severe food allergies are caused by IgE-mediated reactions.

In addition anti-IgE treatment for food allergy involves injections every 2 to 4 weeks, which can be a significant burden, particularly since most patients are children. Ozureprubart’s clinical profile offers the potential for less frequent dosing of every 12 weeks, supporting improved compliance and patient outcomes; as well as providing a new option to approximately 25% of patients currently ineligible for existing therapy. Ozureprubart complements GSK’s extensive commercial footprint and prescriber base in allergy.

Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer, GSK said: “The addition of ozureprubart brings another promising new, potential best-in-class treatment to GSK’s pipeline. Food allergies cause severe health impacts to patients with existing treatment requiring injections as frequently as every 2 weeks. Ozureprubart offers the opportunity to bring sustained protection to patients with dosing every 12 weeks, and is consistent with our approach to acquire assets that address validated targets and where there is clear unmet medical need.”

Brian Wong, President & Chief Executive Officer, RAPT Therapeutics, said: “We are excited to enter into this agreement with GSK, which offers an attractive path forward for our programs, particularly the opportunity we envision for ozureprubart in food allergy. This transaction has the potential to provide access to the global development and commercialisation capabilities, resources and infrastructure that GSK has to offer and ultimately bring added value to our pipeline, patients and stockholders.”

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Related Topics and Keywords

acquisition healthcare, GSK, RAPT Therapeutics