Gilead Sciences will acquire CymaBay Therapeutics for $4.3 billion, adding a late-stage blockbuster-hopeful for chronic liver disease to its portfolio.
The deal centers around California-based CymaBay’s investigational lead product candidate, seladelpar for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) including pruritus. PBC is a rare, chronic, cholestatic liver disease mainly affecting women that impairs liver function and quality of life. The most common early symptoms of PBC are pruritus (itching) and fatigue.
Seladelpar is an oral, selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ) agonist, shown to regulate critical metabolic and liver disease pathways. The drug is already in the hands of the U.S. FDA with a Priority Review designation and has a PDUFA date of August 14, 2024.
If approved, seladelpar has the potential to generate sales of $1.9 billion by 2029, according to LSEG data. The deal also complements Gilead's portfolio of liver disease drugs, which includes treatments for viral hepatitis.