AbbVie has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Nimble Therapeutics, a biotechnology company specializing in the development of oral peptide-based therapies. The deal includes Nimble's main asset, an IL23R inhibitor that is being studied for the treatment of psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease in the developmental stages. The deal also brings AbbVie Nimble's proprietary peptide synthesis, screening, and optimization platform, aimed at accelerating the discovery of novel peptide candidates for autoimmune diseases. The acquisition supports AbbVie’s strategy to expand its immunology pipeline and address the unmet needs of patients with autoimmune conditions.
According to Jonathon Sedgwick, Senior Vice President of Discovery Research at AbbVie, the integration of Nimble’s pipeline will enhance AbbVie’s capabilities in immunology, offering promising new therapies for autoimmune diseases. Nimble’s oral peptide therapies, including its preclinical IL23R inhibitor, target a clinically validated mechanism involved in the progression of psoriasis and IBD. AbbVie will pay $200 million upfront for Nimble, with potential additional payments linked to development milestones.
