Allergan to acquire Tobira Therapeutics

DUBLIN and SAN FRANCISCO — Allergan has announced an acquisition aimed at making it a leader in the development of treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a disease state seeing increased interest from drug makers. The company will be acquiring clinical-stage biotech company Tobira Therapeutics in a deal with a total potential value of $1.69 billion.

 

Tobira Therapeutics is focused on developing treatments for NASH and other types of liver diseases, and the acquisition adds two programs currently in development for treating elements of NASH elements — Cenicriviroc (CVC) and Evogliptin — to Allergan’s gastroenterology research and development pipeline. 

 

“The acquisition of Tobira is a strategic R&D investment within a white space area of our global Gastroenterology franchise and an opportunity to advance the development of novel treatments for NASH,” Allergan president and CEO Brent Saunders said. “With the increasing rates of diabetes, obesity and other metabolic conditions in the U.S. and in developed nations globally, NASH is set to become one of the next epidemic-level chronic diseases we face as a society. It is important that we invest in new treatments today so that healthcare systems, providers and patients have treatment options to face this challenge in the coming years.”

 

Allergan said it expects the transaction to close by the end of 2016. 

 

“I am extremely excited to see Tobira and Allergan come together," Tobira CEO Dr. Laurent Fischer said. “The combination of our team's innovation in the NASH space and the infrastructure, development expertise and world-class ability of Allergan to market medicines will enable us to more rapidly develop and commercialize needed medications for patients suffering from NASH and other serious fibrotic diseases around the world.”