J&J adds another bispecific antibody for atopic dermatitis after $1.25 billion acquisition

Johnson & Johnson is expanding its immunology portfolio with a $1.25 billion deal for a bispecific antibody in development to treat atopic dermatitis. This is the second acquisition agreement for this indication in the last two weeks.

As part of the transaction announced on Tuesday, J&J will receive Numab Therapeutics’ drug with the code name NM26. The pharmaceutical giant acquires global rights to an experimental drug that is ready to begin Phase II testing.

Atopic dermatitis, also called eczema, is the most common inflammatory skin disease. Although this disorder usually presents with red and itchy skin, it has many causes that vary depending on the patient group. NM26 is a bispecific antibody designed to target two of these pathogenic pathways: the alpha subunit of IL-4R, which triggers skin inflammation mediated by Th2 immune cells, and IL-31, which is associated with skin itching and scratching, which worsen disease . J&J also believes that NM26 has the potential for broad application in skin diseases due to its ability to target Th2 cells, which play a role in other conditions characterized by inflammation and itching. The Swiss company Numab discovered and developed NM26 along with its multispecific antibody drug development platform technology.

The ability to treat two pathways leading to atopic dermatitis with a single drug was one of the motivations for J&J’s $850 million acquisition of Proteologix, which was announced on May 16. Proteologix’s most advanced program is PX128, a bispecific antibody directed against IL-13 and TSLP. J&J plans to introduce the drug to clinical trials for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and asthma. The role that TSLP plays in inflammation has made it a hot target for drug research. Companies developing drugs targeting TSLP include Sanofi, GSK and the recently unveiled startup Uniquity Bio.

J&J has experience with bispecific antibodies, having developed and commercialized Tecvayli and Talvey, each designed to target a different cancer target in the treatment of multiple myeloma. The pharmaceutical giant says its broad portfolio of multiple myeloma therapies offers treatment options for patients whose disease has relapsed or who are not responding to other treatments. In the case of atopic dermatitis, multiple drug candidates targeting more than one target could treat patients according to the pathways that lead to their disease, said David Lee, director of the global immunology therapeutic area at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine.

“To provide lasting, symptom-free remission for the millions of people suffering from (atopic dermatitis), our medicines must be tailored to target multiple pathways leading to disease in different patient subpopulations,” Lee said in a prepared statement. “That’s why we are committed to developing differentiated bispecific drugs that combine action on two different disease pathways. NM26 may provide treatment specifically for patients who experience skin inflammation associated with intense itching.”

Under the terms of the transaction, J&J acquires all shares of Numab’s subsidiary Yellow Jersey Therapeutics, where the NM26 program is implemented. The pharmaceutical giant expects to complete the NM26 transaction in the second half of this year. The rights to the therapeutic candidate in the Asia-Pacific region are held by the Japanese company Kaken Pharmaceutical. J&J said it would enter into a separate agreement to secure Kaken’s rights to NM26.

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