Gilead to acquire MiroBio for $405 million

Editorial credit: Michael Vi / Shutterstock

Gilead Sciences has signed a definitive agreement to acquire outstanding share capital of clinical-stage biotechnology company MiroBio for around $405 million.

The deal includes MiroBio’s proprietary I-ReSToRE (REceptor Selection and Targeting to Reinstate immune Equilibrium) discovery platform and its entire portfolio of immune inhibitory receptor agonists.

UK-based MiroBio’s lead investigational antibody, MB272 – a selective agonist of immune inhibitory receptor B- and T-Lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA) – recently entered Phase I clinical trials. MB272 targets T, B and dendritic cells to inhibit or blunt activation and suppress an inflammatory immune response. 

“We believe that MiroBio’s unique platform technology has the potential to produce best-in-class agonist antibodies targeting immune inhibitory receptors,” commented Flavius Martin, Executive Vice President, Research, Gilead Sciences.

The I-ReSToRE platform supports identification and development of therapeutics that use inhibitory signalling networks with the goal of restoring immune homeostasis (the balance of immune activation and suppression in tissues and organs) for patients. 

Gilead said it anticipates advancing additional agonists derived from the I-ReSToRE platform over the “next several years.” This includes a PD-1 (Programmed cell Death protein 1) agonist, MB151, and other undisclosed early-stage programmes.

The transaction is subject to expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary conditions.

MiroBio was spun out of Oxford University in 2019. The privately-owned biotech is backed by a strong group of international investors including Oxford Science Enterprises, Samsara BioCapital, SR One, Medicxi, Advent Life Sciences, OrbiMed and Monograph.