AbbVie bolsters UK R&D presence, inks $1.38bn IBD deal with Nxera

AbbVie (ABBV) and Nxera (SOLTF) have entered a licensing agreement for NXE0033744, a therapy for inflammatory bowel disease. The deal is worth up to $1.5B, with AbbVie gaining global rights to develop and commercialize the treatment.

AbbVie will pay $100M upfront for exclusive rights to Nxera Pharma's IBD program, with potential milestone payments up to $1.37B. Nxera, which cut the program in a 2025 restructuring, will receive royalties. The deal builds on prior collaborations. Nxera raised its 2027 revenue forecast to 48.8B Yen, including AbbVie's payment. Analysts view the deal positively, expecting near-term milestones to boost Nxera's revenue.

Boehringer Ingelheim licensed six oncology programs from Sino Biopharmaceutical for $358M upfront, with $7B in potential milestones. Nxera Pharma licensed an EP4 agonist to AbbVie for $100M upfront, with $1.37B in potential milestones. Both deals highlight pharma's reliance on external innovation.

A federal judge ruled that Botox should be excluded from Medicare's drug price negotiations as it is derived from human plasma. The decision bars the government from setting a negotiated price for Botox, which would have taken effect in 2028. AbbVie, the drugmaker, argued that Botox contains human serum albumin, a protein from human plasma, and thus qualifies for the exclusion. The ruling does not affect the other 14 drugs in the negotiation round, including Gilead's Biktarvy.

Nxera Pharma (4565.T) revised its FY26 forecast after a $100M AbbVie (ABBV) deal for NXE0033744, an IBD drug. Nxera expects JPY 48.8B sales, JPY 22.8B core income. AbbVie gains global rights, with up to $1.37B in milestones. Nxera shares fell 4.1%, AbbVie up 0.52% premarket.

AbbVie is expanding its UK R&D facility, AbbVie Oxford, with a 12,000-square-foot site, investing over £120m in UK life sciences. The expansion focuses on immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, building on its 2022 acquisition of DJS Antibodies. The company aims to enhance its research capabilities and collaborations with UK universities and research organizations.