Press Release
October 3, 2017

Nimbus Therapeutics and Celgene Enter Long-Term Strategic Immunology Alliance

Goodwin’s Life Sciences team advised Nimbus Therapeutics, a biotechnology company applying deep computational expertise throughout drug discovery and development, as it entered into a long-term strategic alliance with Celgene Corporation in immunology. Under the terms of the agreement, Nimbus will receive an upfront payment and potential downstream milestone payments for each program Celgene chooses to acquire. Nimbus will retain full control of research and development activities for each program prior to the program’s option point. Financial terms will remain undisclosed until Celgene acquires a program.

The Nimbus programs covered under the alliance include a preclinical effort targeting Tyk2, a high-potential signal-transduction kinase for the treatment of autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis. The alliance also covers Nimbus’ preclinical small-molecule STING (stimulator of interferon genes) antagonist program, which seeks to block the role played by STING in the activation of the innate immune system in lupus and other interferonopathies. Nimbus will continue to own and develop its small-molecule STING agonist program for immuno-oncology, which is not part of the agreement.

Nimbus Therapeutics is a biotechnology company pioneering the application of highly advanced computational technologies to the design and development of novel treatments for substantial and underserved human diseases. Goodwin has a long-standing relationship with Nimbus Therapeutics including work on a $43 million Series B financing round and a $1.2 billion sale of Nimbus Apollo to Gilead Sciences.

Celgene is a biotechnology company that discovers, develops and commercializes medicines for cancer and inflammatory disorders.

The Goodwin team was led by partners William Collins and Sarah Solomon and included partners Mitchell Bloom and Daniel Karelitz and counsel Kathleen Kean.

For additional details on the transaction, please read the press release.