GSK Acquires Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D HIV Assets

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced its global HIV business, ViiV Healthcare, has reached two separate agreements with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) to acquire its late-stage HIV R&D assets and its portfolio of preclinical and discovery-stage HIV research assets, the company said in a Dec. 18, 2015 announcement.

According to the announcement, under the terms agreed in the two transactions, ViiV Healthcare will acquire:

• Late-stage assets, including fostemsavir (BMS-663068), an attachment inhibitor, currently in Phase III development for heavily treatment-experienced patients. Fostemsavir has received a Breakthrough Therapy Designation from FDA, and the company expects to file for regulatory approval in 2018. The second late-stage asset is a maturation inhibitor (BMS-955176), currently in Phase IIb development for both treatment-naive and treatment experienced patients. A back-up maturation inhibitor candidate (BMS-986173) is also included in the purchase.

• Assets in preclinical and discovery phases of development including a novel biologic (BMS-986197) with a triple mechanism of action, a further maturation inhibitor, an allosteric integrase inhibitor, and a capsid inhibitor. A number of BMS drug discovery employees will also be offered the opportunity to transfer to ViiV Healthcare.

According to GSK, the late-stage asset purchase comprises an upfront payment of $317 million, followed by development and first commercial sale milestones of up to $518 million, and tiered royalties on sales. The purchase of preclinical and discovery-stage research assets comprises an upfront payment of $33 million, followed by development and first commercial sales milestones of up to $587 million, and further consideration contingent on future sales performance. The two transactions are anticipated to complete independently during the first half of 2016, subject to necessary approvals, anti-trust, and regulatory clearances. 

Source: GlaxoSmithKline