Date: 2014-09-30
Type of information: Company acquisition
Acquired company: Alios Biopharma (USA - CA)
Acquiring company: J&J (USA - NJ)
Amount: $1.75 billion (€1.37 billion)
Terms: * On November 7, 2014, Johnson & Johnson announced the completion of the acquisition of Alios BioPharma, Inc. , a privately held clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for viral diseases, for a total purchase price of approximately $1.75 billion in cash. With this acquisition complete, Alios BioPharma will now become part of the infectious diseases therapeutic area of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. The acquisition includes Alios BioPharma's portfolio of potential therapeutics for viral infections with the promising compound AL-8176, an orally administered antiviral therapy currently in Phase 2 studies for the treatment of infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The acquisition also includes two early-stage compounds for hepatitis C (HCV) that could potentially augment Janssen's existing HCV portfolio. * On September 30, 2014, Johnson & Johnson announced a definitive agreement to acquire Alios BioPharma, Inc., a privately held clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for viral diseases, for approximately $1.75 billion in cash. The acquisition will include Alios BioPharma’s portfolio of potential therapeutics for viral infections including compound AL-8176, an orally administered antiviral therapy currently in Phase 2 studies for the treatment of infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The closing is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2014.
Details: Alios’ lead compound, AL-8176, is a first-in-class, oral, anti-RSV nucleoside analog that is currently in Phase 2a studies for the treatment of RSV. AL-8176 is designed to inhibit the replication of the RSV by acting on the viral polymerase. In vitro studies of the compound demonstrate potent and highly selective inhibition of both RSV laboratory-adapted A and B strains as well as a range of diverse clinical isolates. In addition, administration of AL-8176 resulted in potent multi-log suppression of RSV in an in vivo preclinical model. Phase 1 studies have been completed and there were no serious adverse events being reported and no adverse events leading to discontinuation. On September 13, 2014, Alios BioPharma has also presented the preclinical profile of one of its wholly-owned anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) nucleotides (AL-335) at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)/European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) 2014 Special Conference on Hepatitis C. Alios intends to advance AL-335 into Phase 1 clinical trials in the fourth quarter of 2014. The AASLD/EASL poster presented preclinical data of AL-335, a novel uridine nucleotide analog. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the antiviral activity and selectivity of AL-335. Results from the study showed that AL-335 demonstrates potent inhibition of HCV in the cell-based replicon assay across genotypes. Other positive data showed that the AL-335 NTP is a potent inhibitor of the HCV NS5B polymerase and functions as a chain terminator, and shows high selectivity for the viral polymerase and not human polymerases. In addition, both in cells and in vivo, AL-335 was shown to metabolize to provide very high levels of the corresponding AL-335 NTP, which has a long in vivo half-life.
Related: Infectious diseases
