AbbVie, Galapagos in cystic fibrosis deal worth up to $406m

AbbVie has entered into a global alliance with Galapagos NV to discover, develop and commercialize combination therapies for cystic fibrosis (CF). The deal is potentially valued at US $405 million – AbbVie will make an initial upfront payment of $45 million to Galapagos, followed by up to $360 million in developmental, regulatory and sales milestones.

"Galapagos is very pleased to join forces with AbbVie in this exciting new area of CF. Our programs in CF show promise. Partnering with AbbVie allows us to ramp up our commitment significantly, share development risk and expertise, and increase our chances of bringing best-in-class therapies to CF patients."

Onno van de Stolpe, chief executive officer, Galapagos.

The two companies will work collaboratively to contribute technologies and resources in order to develop and commercialize oral drugs that address the main mutations in CF patients, including F508del and G551D. The goal of the collaboration is to identify compounds that correct defects in expression of and / or increase the activity of the main mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein. The aim is to initiate phase 1 clinical trials at the end of 2014.

"We're pleased to enhance our partnership with Galapagos to include research in cystic fibrosis, a debilitating disease with significant unmet medical need. Our knowledge of the patient experience, combined with innovative advances in the understanding of disease etiology, offers the potential for new transformational treatments."

Jim Sullivan, Ph.D., vice president, pharmaceutical discovery, AbbVie.

CF is a hereditary disease caused by a defect in the gene which encodes for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a protein which regulates components of sweat, mucus, and digestive juices. The disease affects approximately 70,000 people worldwide. There is currently no cure for the disease.