Takeda Completes $6 Billion Acquisition of Nimbus Therapeutics Subsidiary

Takeda and Nimbus Therapeutics, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, announced the completion of an acquisition agreement on Feb. 8, 2023. Announced in December 2022, the agreement includes Takeda’s acquisition of Nimbus Lakshmi, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nimbus Therapeutics, and its tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor TAK-279, formerly known as NDI-034858. Four billion dollars were paid upfront, with two additional billion-dollar payments to be made contingent on TAK-279 reaching net sales of $4 and $5 billion, respectively.

According to a company press release, TAK-279 is being evaluated for psoriasis as well as multiple other immune-mediated diseases. Takeda is expected to present Phase IIb data in the fourth quarter of the 2022 fiscal year, while a Phase III study in psoriasis is expected to begin sometime in 2023.

“With our plan to acquire announced in December [2022], we are excited to have promptly added TAK-279, a highly selective oral TYK2 inhibitor with truly transformative potential for patients in multiple diseases, to our late-stage pipeline,” said Ramona Sequeira, president, global portfolio division, Takeda, in the release. “This program closely aligns with our strategy and expertise in immune-mediated diseases, and we look forward to sharing more details of our development plans soon.”