Novo Nordisk has struck a $1.2 billion deal to buy Prothena’s ATTR amyloidosis program, which was stalled by the pandemic last year.
The deal will see Novo pay $100 million in upfront and near-term fees for worldwide rights to the phase 2-ready anti-amyloid immunotherapy PRX004.
Prothena moved PRX004 into phase 1 in 2018, only to terminate the study last year because of the pandemic after enrolling 21 subjects. The truncated trial generated evidence that PRX004 improves the neuropathy and cardiac systolic function of patients with the rare protein misfolding disorder, teeing Prothena up to set its sights on the initiation of a phase 2/3 study in the fourth quarter.
Novo will now take control of further development. The Danish drugmaker plans to study PRX004 in ATTR cardiomyopathy, a form of the disease characterized by the accumulation of amyloid deposits in cardiac tissue.
RELATED: Alnylam's next-gen ATTR amyloidosis drug hits goals in phase 3, teeing up approval filing
The therapeutic focus moves Novo into competition with Alnylam. Having won approval for Onpattro in hereditary ATTR amyloidosis, Alnylam is studying the RNAi drug in patients with cardiomyopathy. Phase 3 trial data are due in mid-2022. Alnylam is also studying vutrisiran as a treatment for ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy.
While Onpattro and vutrisiran suppress synthesis of TTR, thereby addressing the rare disease at its source, PRX004 is designed to bind to pathogenic TTR and clear amyloid that causes negative health outcomes.
“With its innovative amyloid-depleting mechanism, PRX004 has the potential to offer a novel treatment option for ATTR cardiomyopathy—an often fatal disease with significant unmet medical need,” Marcus Schindler, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at Novo, said in a statement.
The deal furthers Novo’s effort to expand beyond diabetes and push into cardiovascular disease. This expansion led Novo to land an option to buy Staten Biotechnology for its anti-apoC3 antibody and acquire Corvidia Therapeutics for $725 million.