Biogen Secures Exclusive Worldwide Rights to Vanqua Bio's C5aR1 Antagonist Aimed at Treating Inflammatory Diseases

• The oral C5aR1 antagonist is designed to modulate neutrophil-driven inflammation, a central mechanism underlying many inflammatory diseases
  

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and CHICAGO, Oct. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) and Vanqua Bio today announced a license agreement granting Biogen exclusive worldwide rights to Vanqua’s preclinical, oral C5aR1 antagonist. This agreement strengthens Biogen’s immunology strategy by advancing a proven immune mechanism with the potential to address a broad range of inflammatory disorders with high unmet need.

“This agreement reflects our strong commitment to building a comprehensive immunology pipeline with a strategic focus on both innate and adaptive immune pathways,” said Jane Grogan, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Head of Research at Biogen. “C5aR1 is a well-validated target involved in neutrophil-mediated inflammation, which plays a central role across a range of inflammatory disorders. Advancing this program enables us to deepen our scientific and clinical focus in immunological diseases where we believe Biogen can make a meaningful difference for patients.”

This agreement complements Biogen’s early-stage immunology pipeline by adding an oral mechanism with potential applicability across multiple immune-mediated diseases. C5aR1 plays a pivotal role in driving critical components of the immune cascade involved in tissue inflammation, particularly in neutrophil-mediated conditions. Preclinically, the program has demonstrated inhibition of complement activation of pathogenic immune cells, and a preclinical safety and tolerability profile supportive of advancing the compound into clinical development. Biogen would expect, if results continue to be supportive, to file an IND in 2027.

“Biogen’s scale, development rigor, and global commercialization capabilities make them uniquely positioned to advance this compound for patients with inflammatory disorders,” said Jim Sullivan, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Vanqua Bio. “The discovery of a highly differentiated C5aR1 inhibitor validates the small molecule drug discovery capabilities of the Vanqua team. Furthermore, this transaction allows Vanqua to remain focused on our CNS pipeline while ensuring that this program can be developed to its full potential.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Biogen will obtain exclusive worldwide rights to Vanqua’s peripherally-directed C5aR1 program. Vanqua will receive a $70 million upfront payment and is eligible to receive up to $990 million in potential development, regulatory, commercial, and sales milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on potential net sales. The upfront payment will be recorded by Biogen as an Acquired In-Process Research and Development expense in the fourth quarter of 2025. Biogen will lead all future development, manufacturing and commercialization efforts.

About Biogen
Founded in 1978, Biogen is a leading biotechnology company that pioneers innovative science to deliver new medicines to transform patients’ lives and to create value for shareholders and our communities. We apply deep understanding of human biology and leverage different modalities to advance first-in-class treatments or therapies that deliver superior outcomes. Our approach is to take bold risks, balanced with return on investment to deliver long-term growth.

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About Vanqua Bio
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Chicago, Vanqua Bio is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing next-generation medicines that have the potential to transform the lives of patients with neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. Our technology platform utilizes human genetics and patient-derived CNS cells to identify, validate, and clinically translate novel disease pathways associated with lysosomal dysfunction or aberrant activation of the innate immune system. Initially, we are targeting glucocerebrosidase (GCase) as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Additional programs address overactivation of the innate immune system in peripheral and central inflammatory disorders, including renal, dermatologic and neurodegenerative diseases. For more information, go to www.vanquabio.com .

Biogen Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including relating to: the anticipated benefits, risks and potential of Biogen’s license agreement with Vanqua Bio; the anticipated and potential benefits of the transaction, including the potential to strengthen Biogen’s immunology strategy and pipeline; potential of, and expectations for, the development of C5aR1and Biogen’s other commercial business and pipeline programs; the potential achievement of future milestones and the financial impact of the transaction; clinical development programs, clinical trials, and data readouts and presentations; regulatory discussions, submissions, filings, and approvals; the potential benefits, safety, and efficacy of our products and investigational therapies; and risks and uncertainties associated with drug development and commercialization. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as “aim,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “guidance,” “hope,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “outlook,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “prospect,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” or the negative of these words or other words and terms of similar meaning. Drug development and commercialization involve a high degree of risk, and only a small number of research and development programs result in commercialization of a product. Results in early-stage clinical trials may not be indicative of full results or results from later stage or larger scale clinical trials and do not ensure regulatory approval. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Given their forward-looking nature, these statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that may be based on inaccurate assumptions and could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements.

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Vanqua Bio
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