GSK Expands COPD Portfolio with $745M Deal for Empirico's Oligonucleotide Asset

GSK has announced a significant expansion of its chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pipeline, signing a deal worth up to $745 million with San Diego-based biotech Empirico for the rights to EMP-012, a siRNA oligonucleotide currently in phase 1 trials. This move underscores GSK's commitment to advancing novel treatments for inflammatory respiratory diseases and strengthens its position in the oligonucleotide therapeutics space.

Strategic Acquisition Targets Unmet Needs in COPD

The agreement sees GSK paying $85 million upfront to Empirico, with the potential for an additional $660 million in development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments. EMP-012, described as having "best-in-class" potential, targets a specific inflammatory pathway that GSK believes could offer a therapeutic approach independent of baseline type 2 inflammation, smoking status, or co-morbid conditions.

Dr. Kaivan Khavandi, GSK's global head of respiratory, immunology, and inflammation R&D, emphasized the strategic importance of the deal: "With its expected long-acting characteristics and ability to target distinct inflammatory pathways, EMP-012 complements our pipeline of diverse modalities in COPD and builds on the current landscape of inhaled and biologic therapeutics in this area of substantial unmet need."

Expanding the Oligonucleotide Portfolio

This acquisition is part of GSK's broader strategy in oligonucleotide therapeutics. The company's oligonucleotide pipeline already includes bepirovirsen, a collaboration with Ionis Pharmaceuticals in phase 3 trials for hepatitis B virus infection, as well as partnerships with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals for fatty liver disease and assets acquired from Wave Life Sciences.

Empirico CEO Omri Gottesman highlighted the significance of the deal, stating, "GSK's global reach and deep expertise in COPD will help to accelerate the development of EMP-012, and we look forward to working closely with GSK on advancing a potentially transformative precision medicine for patients with COPD and other inflammatory respiratory diseases."

Strengthening GSK's COPD Research Efforts

The acquisition of EMP-012 adds to GSK's recent efforts in COPD treatment development. Earlier this year, the company received approval for Nucala in COPD and acquired a PDE3/4 inhibitor from China's Hengrui Pharma. These moves align with GSK's ambition to treat patients across the widest spectrum of COPD.

As the pharmaceutical landscape continues to evolve, GSK's investment in EMP-012 and oligonucleotide therapeutics represents a significant step towards addressing unmet needs in COPD treatment, particularly for patients with non-type 2 inflammation where current options are limited.