Novartis is to pay up to $3.1 billion to take full control of Anthos Therapeutics Inc, a Boston, US based company that it helped launch with Blackstone Life Sciences in 2019 to develop an asset for a cardiovascular disease. The company has a product in Phase 3 that was in-licensed from Novartis and is now being developed to prevent stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. Novartis had a minority stake in Anthos but will now take full control. The Swiss company is to pay $925 million upfront to take ownership of Anthos alongside committing to payments of up to $2.15 billion on the achievement of specific regulatory and sales milestones.
The product, abelacimab, is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits the Factor XI clotting factor. Factor XI deficiency is a rare genetic bleeding disorder caused by reduced levels and insufficient activity of the factor. Whilst itself a disorder, the deficiency is also associated with protection from thromboembolic disease. According to Novartis, abelacimab binds to Factor XI to block its activation and prevent the generation of the activated form of the factor. This mimics natural Factor XI deficiency and thereby protects against thromboembolic disease.
Shreeram Aradhye, chief medical officer at Novartis, said the use of abelacimab is potentially a “safer approach for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation as well as cancer-associated thrombosis.” Data at Phase 2 showed a significant reduction in bleeding events in patients taking abelacimab versus standard of care direct oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation. Three Phase 3 trials are underway for patients at risk of arterial and venous clots. One is for patients with atrial fibrillation and two are for cancer associated thrombosis. In 2022 abelacimab received two ‘fast track’ designations from the US Food and Drug Administration for the indications currently under investigation.
Novartis announced the acquisition on 11 February 2025
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