Emergent BioSolutions is buying Trubion Pharmaceuticals for $96.8 million up front and up to $38.7 million of success-based milestones. Emergent gains Trubion's two clinical-stage product candidates for oncology and autoimmunity. The company also gains Trubion's two platforms--Small Modular Immunopharmaceutic (SMIPTM) and SCORPIONTM technologies--which could help develop additional drugs. Emergent will maintain research facilities in Seattle, WA, where Trubion is currently located.
The buyout is part of Emergent's plan to move beyond biodefense work into other therapeutic areas. Trubion's pipeline includes:
- a Phase II candidate for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, (in partnership with Pfizer);
- TRU-016, a Phase I/II drug for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (in partnership with Abbott); and
- preclinical candidates for oncology and autoimmune diseases
"This acquisition strengthens Emergent's biologics capabilities in two key aspects," explained Emergent CEO Fuad El-Hibri. "First, it diversifies our product pipeline beyond infectious diseases into the two high growth areas of oncology and autoimmunity. And, second, it broadens our monoclonal antibody therapeutic capabilities."
- here's Emergent's release
- see the Xconomy article for more