Gilead Sciences to acquire ACC inhibitor programme from Nimbus Therapeutics

Gilead Sciences is to acquire an acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) inhibitor programme from Nimbus Therapeutics.

The companies have signed an agreement under which Gilead will acquire Nimbus Apollo, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nimbus Therapeutics, and its ACC inhibitor programme for an initial upfront fee of $400 million (283.52 million pounds).

This programme includes the lead candidate NDI-010976 and other preclinical ACC inhibitors for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatocellular carcinoma and other diseases of the liver.

NDI-010976 has been granted fast-track designation by the US Food and Drug Administration, with phase I clinical data for the compound to be presented next month during the International Liver Congress 2016.

In addition to the upfront fee, the deal will see Nimbus Therapeutics receive up to an additional $800 million in development-related milestones over time.

Dr Norbert Bischofberger, executive vice-president for research and development and chief scientific officer at Gilead Sciences, said: "The acquisition of Nimbus' ACC inhibitor programme represents a timely and important opportunity to accelerate Gilead’s ongoing efforts to address unmet needs in NASH."