Blackstone Life Sciences and Novartis announced the launch of Anthos Therapeutics Inc. (“Anthos”), a new biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing next generation targeted therapies for high-risk cardiovascular patients. Blackstone provided $250 million for Anthos and will control the development of the products. Novartis will retain a minority equity interest in Anthos. Life Sciences partners Richard Hoffman and Noelle Dubiansky, Private Equity partner Ed Amer and Kimberley Maruncic represented Anthos.
As part of this launch, Novartis has licensed to Anthos MAA868, an antibody directed at Factor XI and XIa, key components of the intrinsic coagulation pathway. A large unmet medical need exists for next-generation anti-thrombotic therapies in patients currently underserved by conventional anti-coagulant therapies. As a promising anti-thrombotic modulating genetically and pharmacologically validated components of the intrinsic pathway, MAA868 has the potential to prevent a variety of cardiovascular disorders with minimal or no bleeding risk within a new long-acting treatment paradigm, thus providing major advantages over the conventional standards of care.
Blackstone Life Sciences is an industry-leading private investment platform with capabilities to invest across the life-cycle of companies and products within the key life science sectors. By combining scale investments and hands-on operational leadership, the company helps bring to market promising new medicines that improve patients’ lives. In launching this new platform, Blackstone acquired Clarus, a leading global life-sciences firm.
Anthos is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of genetically and pharmacologically validated therapies for high-risk cardiovascular patient populations. Anthos’ most advanced program is MAA868, an anti- Factor XI / XIa monoclonal antibody, which represents a promising next generation anti-thrombotic investigational therapy with the potential to prevent multiple thrombotic diseases with minimal or no bleeding risk. Anthos, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
For additional background on the launch, please read the press release.