September 30, 2014
By Krystle Vermes, BioSpace.com Breaking News Staff
Today, Johnson & Johnson announced that it has officially acquired Alios BioPharma, a privately held clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, for $1.7 billion in cash. The acquisition will come with Alios’ portfolio of potential therapeutics for viral infections, including AL-8176, an orally administered antiviral therapy currently in Phase 2 studies for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus.
The closing of the deal is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, but it is projected to close by the end of the fourth quarter of 2014.
“We are excited that this acquisition will enable us to explore treatment options for a number of viral infections, including RSV, the last of the major pediatric diseases with no available preventive therapy,” said William Hait, global head of research and development at Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, a subsidiary Johnson & Johnson. “AL-8176 complements our existing early stage portfolio for RSV which aims to prevent and treat this disease, the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infection in children under the age of five.”
Johnson & Johnson has approximately 126,000 employees at 270 operating facilities around the world. The company embraces both science and research to create health advancements.
“Alios BioPharma’s pipeline is closely aligned with our vision to continue to address important unmet medical needs through scientific innovation,” said Johan Van Hoof, global head of infectious diseases and vaccines at Janssen. “This acquisition will allow us to combine their innovative compounds with our vast experience in viral diseases to deliver novel medicines and treatment options for patients worldwide.”
Earlier this year, Alios announced that AL-8176 had been well tolerated in a Phase 1 study, and no adverse side effects were reported.
“Alios believes AL-8176 has potential to become an effective first-line antiviral therapy for RSV infection in infants, a disease where no treatment options currently exist,” said Lawrence Blatt, chief executive officer at Alios. “The advancement of AL-8176 for RSV into a Phase 2a viral challenge study demonstrates the broad capabilities of the Alios discovery platform. We are currently utilizing this platform to screen against several other respiratory diseases with high unmet medical needs.”
RSV is the leading cause of lower respiratory disease in infants, and 2.1 million U.S. children under the age of five require medical attention each year as a result of the condition.
