GSK to buy liver disease drug for as much as US$2 billion

[LONDON] GSK agreed to buy an experimental medicine to treat liver disease for as much as US$2 billion as the UK drugmaker seeks to shore up its pipeline of new medicines. 

The treatment developed by Boston Pharmaceuticals is ready to enter the last stage of clinical trials and has the potential to become a best-in-class medicine to treat a form of fatty liver disease, GSK said Wednesday (May 14). 

GSK shares have struggled amid concern over few potential blockbuster drugs in the pipeline compared with rivals, as some of its top medicines face patent expirations. 

There is growing interest in liver disease, with both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk working on treating the condition. The liver can get damaged by a build-up of fat or from alcohol use, and there are few treatment options. Though the medicine GSK is buying could help with both, for now it’s in development for damage caused by fat build-up – a disease known by the acronym MASH.  

GSK said it will pay US$1.2 billion upfront for the drug, called efimosfermin, with potential for additional milestone payments totalling US$800 million.

Mid-stage trial data on efimosfermin showed a once a month injected dose rapidly reversed liver fibrosis and stopped it progressing. BLOOMBERG