Blackstone Life Sciences, Novartis launch Anthos Therapeutics
Blackstone Life Sciences, a private investment platform, has joined forces with Swiss drug maker Novartis to launch a new biopharma company called Anthos Therapeutics, which will focus on developing drugs for high-risk cardiovascular patients.
Anthos Therapeutics, which will be headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is backed by a capital of $250 million from Blackstone Life Sciences. The private investment platform will control the development of Anthos Therapeutics’ products.
Nick Galakatos – Head of Blackstone Life Sciences and Chairman of Anthos, said: “Blackstone Life Sciences is focused on bringing important medicines and healthcare technologies to market, often working in partnership with major biopharmaceutical companies to provide them with access to capital, scientific expertise, and hands-on operational leadership. We are excited to collaborate with Novartis to create Anthos, with the goal of delivering important therapies for the high-risk cardiovascular patients who need them.”
Novartis, on the other hand, will hold a minority stake in the new US biopharma company while contributing its antibody MAA868, which has been designed to target Factor XI and XIa, considered to be the main components of the intrinsic coagulation pathway.
MAA868 is said to have the capacity to prevent a range of cardiovascular disorders with minimal or no bleeding risk, within a new long-acting treatment prototype, thereby offering significant advantages over traditional standards of care.
Jay Bradner – President of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research said: “The need for new medicines to treat cardiovascular diseases is clear, and this agreement is part of our strategy to work with innovators outside our walls to advance medicines that have the potential to have a positive impact for patients. Blackstone Life Sciences has the necessary experience and has assembled a first-class team at Anthos to drive the further development of MAA868.”
