AbbVie to Acquire Nimble Therapeutics, Further Strengthening Immunology Pipeline

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AbbVie announced on Dec. 13, 2024 that it will acquire Nimble Therapeutics, a biotechnology company specializing in oral peptide therapeutics, including Nimble’s lead asset, an investigational oral peptide interleukin 23 receptor (IL23R) inhibitor that is in preclinical development for treating psoriasis. The acquisition also includes a pipeline of other novel oral peptide candidates that show potential across several autoimmune diseases.

With the acquisition, AbbVie also gains Nimble's peptide synthesis, screening, and optimization platform. This platform uses proprietary technology to facilitate rapid discovery and optimization of peptide candidates for a range of targets.

Under the agreement, AbbVie will pay $200 million in cash at the close of transaction, which is subject to certain customary adjustments. AbbVie will also pay certain interim funding payments, and Nimble's shareholders will be eligible to receive potential payment upon the achievement of a development milestone, according to a company press release (1).

"The addition of Nimble's pipeline to AbbVie's existing pipeline, combined with our deep clinical and translational expertise in immunology, represents an important growth opportunity," said Jonathon Sedgwick, PhD, senior vice-president and global head of discovery research, AbbVie, in the press release (1). "Together, AbbVie and Nimble have the potential to help address the significant unmet medical need for people living with autoimmune diseases."

Nimble's lead candidate, which targets IL23R, has potential in the treatment of psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). According to AbbVie, IL23R is a clinically validated therapeutic target in certain autoimmune diseases and is known to be a major contributing factor in psoriasis and IBD pathogenesis as well as progression by way of increased inflammation and amplified immune responses (1).

"Nimble Therapeutics is committed to transforming the discovery of oral peptide-based medicines. With AbbVie's … expertise in developing and commercializing medicines on a global scale, Nimble's novel oral therapies will be well-positioned to reach more people living with autoimmune diseases," said Jigar Patel, PhD, founder and chief executive officer, Nimble Therapeutics, in the release. "The talented, passionate, and dedicated team at Nimble has made great progress over the past few years, and we are pleased that AbbVie has recognized the tremendous potential of our proprietary platform and emerging immunology pipeline."

Nimble is the latest in a series of acquisitions that AbbVie has conducted this year. Also in December 2024, AbbVie completed its $1.4 billion acquisition of Aliada Therapeutics, and in August 2024, it completed its $8.7 billion acquisition of Cerevel Therapeutics, both of which strengthen AbbVie’s neuroscience pipeline (2,3). In June 2024, AbbVie acquired Celsius Therapeutics for $250 million in cash, which included an antibody drug candidate in clinical development for IBD (4). In May 2024, AbbVie completed its acquisition of Landos Biopharma for approximately $137.5 million in cash, which included that company’s lead asset, NX-13, an oral nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor family member X1 agonist in clinical development for treating ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (5).

References

1. AbbVie. AbbVie to Acquire Nimble Therapeutics, Further Strengthening Immunology Pipeline. Press Release. Dec. 13, 2024.
2. AbbVie. AbbVie Completes Acquisition of Aliada Therapeutics. Press Release. Dec. 11, 2024.
3. AbbVie. AbbVie Completes Acquisition of Cerevel Therapeutics. Press Release. Aug. 1, 2024.
4. AbbVie. AbbVie Acquires Celsius Therapeutics. Press Release. June 27, 2024.
5. AbbVie. AbbVie Completes Acquisition of Landos Biopharma. Press Release. May 23, 2024.