GSK has entered a definitive agreement to acquire RAPT Therapeutics, a California-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel therapies for patients living with inflammatory and immunologic diseases.

The acquisition includes ozureprubart, a long-acting anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) monoclonal antibody, currently in phase IIb clinical development for prophylactic protection against food allergens. 

Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer, GSK said, “The addition of ozureprubart brings another promising new, potential best-in-class treatment to GSK’s pipeline.”

A Promising Treatment for Food Allergies

Current anti-IgE treatment for food allergy involves injections every 2 to 4 weeks. Ozureprubart’s clinical profile offers the potential for less frequent dosing of every 12 weeks, supporting improved compliance and patient outcomes; as well as providing a new option to approximately 25% of patients currently ineligible for existing therapy. Furthermore, Ozureprubart complements GSK’s commercial footprint and prescriber base in allergy.

Data from the phase IIb trial (prestIgE) assessing use of ozureprubart as monotherapy is expected in 2027, with phase III trials to be focused on both at-risk adult and paediatric populations.

Brian Wong, President & CEO, RAPT Therapeutics, said, “We are excited to enter into this agreement with GSK, which offers an attractive path forward for our programs, particularly the opportunity we envision for ozureprubart in food allergy. This transaction has the potential to provide access to the global development and commercialization capabilities, resources and infrastructure that GSK has to offer and ultimately bring added value to our pipeline, patients and stockholders.”

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