Novartis licenses Factor XI Ab to Blackstone-backed $250m bio firm

Newly launched firm Anthos Therapeutics has licensed Novartis candidate MAA868 and will look to develop it for cardiovascular disorders. Novartis retains a minority stake in the Blackstone-backed biopharma.

Private investment firm Blackstone Life Sciences launched this week Anthos Therapeutics, a biopharma company focused on advancing next-generation targeted therapies for high-risk cardiovascular patients.

The company, backed by $250 million (€220 million) of Blackstone funds, will look to a Novartis candidate as a potential anti-thrombotic therapy to treat patients currently underserved by conventional anti-coagulant therapies, licensing MAA868, an antibody directed at Factor XI and XIa, both key components of the coagulation pathway.

Anthos Therapeutics will develop cardiovascular biologics. Image: iStock/magicmine

“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,” Jay Bradner, president of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research said in a statement.

“Blackstone Life Sciences has the necessary experience and has assembled a first-class team at Anthos to drive the further development of MAA868.”

Novartis has a minority equity interest in Anthos, and global head of Cardiovascular and Metabolism Shaun Coughlin joins as an observer to Anthos’ Board, while Craig Basson, head of Cardiovascular and Metabolism Translational Medicine, joins the Scientific Advisory Board.