Today marks the completion of GSK’s acquisition of Aiolos Bio (Aiolos), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to addressing the unmet medical needs of patients with respiratory and inflammatory conditions.
As previously disclosed, this acquisition encompasses AIO-001, a promising long-acting anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) monoclonal antibody poised to enter phase II clinical trials for treating adult asthma patients. AIO-001, with its potential as a best-in-class therapy, holds promise for extending GSK’s respiratory biologics portfolio to potentially cater to the 40% of severe asthma patients exhibiting low T2 inflammation—a hallmark of asthma’s overactive immune response. The remarkable feature of AIO-001 lies in its potential six-month administration interval, facilitated by its high potency and extended half-life, potentially reshaping the treatment landscape for asthma.
Tony Wood, GSK’s Chief Scientific Officer, expressed anticipation: “Given the limited therapeutic options available for asthma patients with low T2 inflammation, we eagerly anticipate leveraging our extensive respiratory expertise to potentially introduce a long-acting biologic to a wider segment of the 315 million asthma patients worldwide.”
With a portfolio boasting a blend of marketed and investigational medications targeting various respiratory ailments, GSK is positioned as a leader in the field. The addition of AIO-001 to its arsenal could diversify GSK’s offerings to encompass a biologic designed for severe asthma patients presenting low T2 inflammation.
In terms of financial arrangements, GSK is set to make a $1 billion upfront payment along with up to $400 million contingent upon certain success-based regulatory milestones. Additionally, GSK will assume responsibility for further success-driven milestone payments and tiered royalties owed to Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (Hengrui). AIO-001’s development and commercialization rights outside of Greater China were exclusively licensed to Aiolos by Hengrui.
