Novartis Tourmaline Bio acquisition for $1.4bn expands its cardiovascular portfolio with pacibekitug.
• Novartis acquires Tourmaline Bio for $1.4 billion.
• Gains access to pacibekitug for cardiovascular disease.
• Expands Novartis’ cardiovascular treatment portfolio.
Novartis has announced the acquisition of Tourmaline Bio, a New York-based biopharma company, for approximately $1.4 billion. This strategic move allows Novartis to gain access to Tourmaline’s atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) drug, pacibekitug. Pacibekitug is an anti-IL-6IgG2 human monoclonal antibody being tested as a monthly and quarterly treatment option. The acquisition is expected to close before the end of 2025, following unanimous approval by the boards of directors of both companies. Read more.
Why it matters
Pacibekitug targets a key upstream cytokine that promotes systemic inflammation, a significant driver of cardiovascular risk. With no widely adopted anti-inflammatory therapies currently available for cardiovascular risk reduction, pacibekitug represents a potential breakthrough in addressing residual inflammatory risk in ASCVD. In May, Tourmaline released 90-day data from the Phase II TRANQUILITY study, showing that a 15mg once-monthly dose of pacibekitug reduced median high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels by 85 percent, while a quarterly 50mg dose reduced this by 86 percent.
What’s next
The acquisition of Tourmaline Bio adds to Novartis’ earlier announcement in February to acquire Anthos Therapeutics, enhancing its cardiovascular treatment portfolio. Novartis plans to collaborate with the Tourmaline team to advance the development of pacibekitug. This acquisition aligns with Novartis’ strategy to diversify its efforts in cardiovascular care. For further insights into Novartis’ strategic moves, visit our insights section.