Alpine Immune soars on news of an immunology deal with AbbVie

Seattle, USA-based biotech Alpine Immune Sciences (Nasdaq: ALPN) saw its shares rocket 170% pre-market after announcing its biggest deal yet, with AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), for an exclusive worldwide option and license agreement for ALPN-101, a first-in-class dual CD28/ICOS co-stimulation antagonist. Its shares were still up 95.9% at $9.54 in late morning trading.

CD28 and ICOS are key costimulatory molecules that likely play critical roles in multiple autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. ALPN-101 is a potent inhibitor of both CD28 and ICOS pathways with demonstrated efficacy in multiple pre-clinical disease models, superior to blockade of either pathway alone. Favorable safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics have been observed in a first-in-human study in adult healthy volunteers.

“We are very pleased to partner ALPN-101 with AbbVie, a world leader in the development and commercialization of innovative immunology therapies,” said Dr Mitchell Gold, executive chairman and chief executive of Alpine Immune Sciences, adding: “AbbVie is an ideal partner for ALPN-101, with the therapeutic area expertise, R&D commitment, and global resources needed to maximize ALPN-101’s potential for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Today’s agreement validates our unique Directed Evolution platform that has yielded multiple product candidates, including ALPN-101. We look forward to working with our colleagues at AbbVie to potentially transform clinical outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus, a disease with currently few appealing treatment options.”