Gilead Sciences buys rights to drug from Galapagos

Gilead Sciences has purchased the rights to filgotinib, a JAK1-selective inhibitor for rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. The company has paid 725 million dollars to Galapagos Pharma, which has been developing the drug.

Further to this, Galapagos will also be eligible to receive additional development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments up to 1.35 billion dollars, plus tiered royalties on global sales starting at 20 percent, with the exception of the co-promotion territories, where profits will be shared equally.

Norbert Bischofberger, Gilead’s executive vice president of research and development and chief scientific officer, said: "This partnership represents an opportunity to add complementary clinical programs to our growing inflammation research and development efforts."