GSK acquires food allergy firm Rapt Therapeutics for $2.2bn
Will gain access to ozureprubart, a potential best-in-class antibody for food allergies, and expand its respiratory, immunology and inflammation pipeline.
GSK is acquiring US-biopharma company Rapt Therapeutics, giving it global rights to a potentially best-in-class anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) monoclonal antibody.
The $2.2 billion deal includes Rapt Therapeutics’ long-acting IgE antibody ozureprubart, a systemic therapy for prophylactic protection from a harmful allergic and inflammatory immune response.
Ozureprubart offers scope for less frequent dosing compared to existing standard-of-care therapy.
Ozureprubart offers the opportunity to bring sustained protection to patients with dosing every 12 weeks”
Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer at GSK, said: “The addition of ozureprubart brings another promising new, potential best-in-class treatment to GSK’s pipeline. Food allergies cause severe health impacts to patients with existing treatment requiring injections as frequently as every two weeks.
“Ozureprubart offers the opportunity to bring sustained protection to patients with dosing every 12 weeks, and is consistent with our approach to acquire assets that address validated targets and where there is clear unmet medical need.”
Additionally, the monoclonal antibody provides a new treatment option to approximately 25 percent of patients currently ineligible for existing therapy, GSK noted.
The biologic therapy is currently in phase II development (prestIgE trial) for prophylactic protection against food allergens. According to GSK, clinical data on ozureprubart’s capability as monotherapy is expected to be available in 2027.
Under the present acquisition agreement, GSK has rights to the biologic’s clinical programme, excluding mainland China, Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Brian Wong, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rapt Therapeutics, said: “This transaction has the potential to provide access to the global development and commercialisation capabilities, resources and infrastructure that GSK has to offer and ultimately bring added value to our pipeline, patients and stockholders.”
The transaction between GSK and Rapt is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be finalised in the first quarter of 2026.
