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Arcutis Announces Acquisition of Ducentis BioTherapeutics Ltd.
Leverages Arcutis’ deep dermatology expertise and broad biologics experience to accelerate Ducentis’ lead compound, DS-234, in atopic dermatitisLead
About this update from Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Leverages Arcutis’ deep dermatology expertise and broad biologics experience to accelerate Ducentis’ lead compound, DS-234, in atopic dermatitisLead indication, atopic dermatitis, is a rapidly growing, significantly underserved market with large unmet needCheckpoint agonism is a promising emerging pathway for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, with preclinical and clinical validation data suggesting a durable biologic responseDS-234 offers a potential best-in-class profile, as well as a highly complementary treatment option to roflumilast cream which is in late-stage development for atopic dermatitis WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT), an early commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing meaningful innovations in immuno-dermatology, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Ducentis BioTherapeutics Ltd., a privately held, preclinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Under the terms of the share purchase agreement, Arcutis will acquire the outstanding shares of Ducentis for an upfront cash payment of approximately $16 million and Arcutis stock valued at approximately $14 million, as well as future contingent payments based on development and commercial success. Closing of the transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions. Ducentis’ lead asset is DS-234, a fusion protein that is a highly selective and potent agonist of the CD200 receptor (CD200R). CD200R is an immune-regulatory receptor that is thought to be an important immunological checkpoint with a pivotal role in the maintenance of immune tolerance. Checkpoint agonism is an emerging immunomodulatory approach that works to amplify pathways that inhibit over-active immune cells and suppress unwanted immune responses. DS-234 binds to CD200R, restoring immune homeostasis by inducing inhibitory signaling on immune cells that regulate inflammation. CD200R has been validated as a target in atopic dermatitis, with recent preclinical and clinical data providing evidence of a durable biologic response, even after discontinuation of treatment1. Ducentis has completed preclinical comparisons of DS-234 against the clinically-validated CD200R antibody. The data compare favorably across key met...