Merck to acquire Pandion Therapeutics for $1.85bn
Merck will gain a pipeline of immune modulators targeting autoimmune diseases
Merck (MSD) has signed a deal to acquire Pandion Therapeutics for approximately $1.85bn, gaining access to a pipeline of immune modulators for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Leading Pandion’s pipeline is an engineered IL-2 mutein fused to a protein backbone – known as PT101 – that is designed to selectively activate and expand regulatory T cells (Tregs) for the potential treatment of ulcerative colitis and other autoimmune diseases.
Tregs can inhibit the activity of several different pro-inflammatory immune cell types, and are critical for self-tolerance of the immune system. The dysfunction of Tregs is associated with a number of autoimmune diseases.