HQ Team
May 30, 2024: Johnson & Johnson has agreed to buy the rights for an investigational skin disorder treatment from Numab Therapeutics for $1.25 billion.
The all-cash deal for the drug in its mid-stage experimental trials is meant to treat atopic dermatitis, the most common inflammatory skin disease.
The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2024.
“In addition to potentially transforming the standard of care for atopic dermatitis,” the experimental drug “could also be efficacious in other inflammatory skin diseases involving Th2 inflammation and itch,” according to a company statement.
Inflamed skin
NM26, the lab drug, “has the potential to deliver a treatment specifically for patients who have inflamed skin associated with intense itching,” said David Lee, Global Immunology Therapeutic Area Head, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine.
People with atopic dermatitis experience inflamed skin that can be associated with itch and subsequent scratching, which causes skin pain, and skin abrasions that increase the risk of infection, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, stress, depression and even an increased risk of suicide.
Current therapies fall short of delivering durable, symptom-free remission, with approximately 70% of patients not achieving remission in what is the most common inflammatory skin disease.
The company’s investment “in differentiated bispecifics is the next chapter in our impactful Immunology legacy,” said Candice Long, Worldwide Vice President, Immunology, Johnson & Johnson.
“It reinforces our commitment to address unmet medical needs by leveraging patient insights and our deep disease expertise.”
