Discovery, development and commercialisation company Horizon Therapeutics has announced the completion of the acquisition of drug developer, Viela Bio.
Tim Walbert, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Horizon, said: “With its deep, mid-stage biologics pipeline, strong R&D team and on-market medicine UPLIZNA, Viela is a strong complementary strategic fit with our pipeline, commercial portfolio and therapeutic areas of focus. It also gives us tremendous potential to make an even greater impact on the lives of people with rare, autoimmune and severe inflammatory diseases.”
UPLIZNA is an FDA-approved B-cell-depleting humanised monoclonal antibody for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a rare, severe, autoimmune disease that attacks the optic nerve, spinal cord and brain stem, which leads to loss of vision and paralysis, in adults who are anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody positive.
The acquisition adds to Horizon’s commercial rare disease medicine portfolio with UPLIZNA (inebilizumab-cdon), as well as a deep, mid-stage biologics pipeline focused primarily on autoimmune and severe inflammatory diseases.
Horizon’s current R&D capability will be strengthened by the addition of a team with early-stage research, translational and clinical development capabilities along with deep scientific knowledge in autoimmune and severe inflammatory diseases.
