GSK completes $950 million acquisition of 35Pharma Inc. and PH drug HS235

GSK plc (LSE/NYSE:GSK) announced Wednesday the completion of its acquisition of 35Pharma Inc., a Canada-based private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. The transaction, valued at $950 million, gives GSK full ownership of 35Pharma and its pipeline, including HS235, a molecule in development for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH).

HS235 is designed to target the activin receptor signaling pathway, a validated therapeutic target in PH. According to the statement, HS235 is engineered for enhanced selectivity, which may lower the risk of bleeding and other adverse effects associated with current pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatments. Early clinical studies have observed metabolic benefits, including fat-selective weight loss, preservation of lean mass, and improved insulin sensitivity. Proof-of-concept trials for HS235 are expected to begin soon in both PAH and pulmonary hypertension due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF).

Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive disease characterized by high blood pressure in the lungs and affects about 82 million people worldwide. Treatment options are currently limited, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 50%, according to references cited in the release.

Kaivan Khavandi, Senior Vice President and Head of R&D for Respiratory, Immunology & Inflammation at GSK, said, "HS235 is an important addition to our RI&I pipeline, which continues to expand across inflammatory and fibrotic drivers underlying multiple chronic diseases."

The global market for PH therapies is projected to reach $18 billion by 2032, with activin signaling inhibitors expected to represent about half of this segment.

This information is based on a press release statement and details disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.