Biogen to expand late-stage pipeline with HI-Bio buy

22 May 2024

US biotech major Biogen (Nasdaq: BIIB) today revealed it plans to acquire privately-held Human Immunology Biosciences (HI-Bio), in a bid to expand its rare disease portfolio.

HI-Bio’s lead asset, felzartamab, is a fully human anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody that has been shown in clinical studies to selectively deplete CD38+ cells including plasma cells and natural killer, or NK, cells which may allow for additional applications that improve clinical outcomes in a broad range of immune-mediated diseases.

HI-Bio acquired rights to felzartamab in 2022 from Germany’s MorphoSys (FSE: MOR) in a deal that could cost it up to $1 billion.

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