GSK acquires Aiolos Bio for $1.4bn to boost respiratory portfolio

GSK’s acquisition, which comes amid other big money moves in the pharma industry, aims to broaden its asthma drug range. GSK’s acquisition will give the company access to Aiolos’ AIO-001, a monoclonal antibody that is ready to start Phase II trials for the treatment of asthma in adults. The asset targets thymic stromal lymphopoietin which, according to the companies, is a driver of inflammation in diseases such as asthma. GSK will also assess the drug’s potential use in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

“We were very pleased to announce the agreement to acquire Aiolos Bio, providing us access to a potentially best-in-class, long-acting anti-TSLP monoclonal antibody ready to enter Phase II for asthma,” said Emma Walmsley, CEO of GSK, at the JP Morgan (JPM) Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. GSK’s chief scientific officer Tim Wood said AIO-001 could expand the reach of the company’s respiratory biologics portfolio, highlighting “the 40% of severe asthma patients with low T2 inflammation where treatment options are still needed”.

GSK’s interest in respiratory diseases is longstanding. In May 2023, GSK’s Arexvy became the first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccine to treat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD).

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