GSK licenses liver drug to Alfasigma in $690 million deal
GSK is licensing its liver disease drug to Alfasigma in a deal worth up to $690 million. The agreement includes an initial $300 million upfront payment today.
GSK plc has entered into an agreement to license the worldwide rights for linerixibat, an experimental treatment for a rare liver disease, to the Italian pharmaceutical company Alfasigma. The deal, which could reach a total value of $690 million, focuses on addressing cholestatic pruritus, a condition that causes severe and persistent internal itching. This symptom is a hallmark of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks and damages the bile ducts within the liver.
Under the terms of the agreement, Alfasigma, which is based in Italy, will provide an upfront payment of $300 million to GSK. An additional $100 million is expected upon regulatory approval in the United States, which is anticipated by March 24. Furthermore, GSK will receive $20 million following approvals from regulators in the United Kingdom and the European Union.
In addition to these payments, GSK is eligible for up to $270 million in sales-based milestones and will earn tiered double-digit royalties on global sales. Alfasigma already maintains a significant international presence, marketing various liver disease treatments in more than 100 countries.
