United Therapeutics announced that it has acquired Thymmune Therapeutics, a privately held preclinical-stage biotechnology company. Thymmune is developing scalable regenerative thymic cell therapies for the potential treatment of post-transplant organ tolerance, immunodeficiencies, and autoimmune diseases.
Under the terms of the agreement, United Therapeutics acquired Thymmune for $140 million in cash, subject to certain post-closing adjustments. The deal also includes potential earn-out payments of up to $160 million to former Thymmune equityholders based on the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones by the end of 2031.
Thymmune is focused on the thymus, an organ that plays a critical role in the development and proper function of key parts of the immune system. The thymus helps train T-cells, which are essential for fighting infections and other diseases.
Thymmune has developed a proprietary process for converting human-induced pluripotent stem cells into thymic cells. Once inside the body, these cells are designed to mature into cell types that can restore healthy T-cell function.
Thymmune’s lead candidate, THY-100, is in preclinical development for congenital athymia. Congenital athymia is an ultra-rare and life-threatening condition in which infants are born without a functional thymus.
Animal studies have shown that treatment with THY-100 results in the in vivo formation of a neo-thymus capable of facilitating T-cell development. United Therapeutics said clinical proof of concept and further development of THY-100 could broaden thymic regenerative medicine approaches for transplant tolerance, serious immune-mediated diseases, and enhanced longevity for older adults with diminished T-cell function.
United Therapeutics said Thymmune’s platform complements its broader mission to expand the supply of transplantable organs. The acquisition also builds on United Therapeutics’ UThymoKidney clinical development program and its growing work in immunomodulatory therapeutics.
Founded by CEO Martine Rothblatt, United Therapeutics develops rare disease treatments and organ alternatives designed to expand the supply of transplantable organs. The company operates as a public benefit corporation and focuses on therapies, manufactured organs, and technologies intended to save lives.
KEY QUOTES:
“Thymmune’s platform complements United Therapeutics’ broader mission to expand the supply of transplantable organs, building on our UThymoKidney clinical development program and our growing strength in immunomodulatory therapeutics. By restoring or modulating T-cell receptor diversity, Thymmune’s technology could make fundamental contributions to human health care and potentially resolve the root causes of dozens of life-threatening diseases.”
Martine Rothblatt, Ph.D., Chairperson and CEO of United Therapeutics
“Thymmune was founded to harness the biology of the thymus to restore immune function for patients with serious immune-mediated diseases. United Therapeutics shares our conviction that regenerative medicine can transform the lives of patients, and we believe its leadership in organ alternatives and cell-based technologies makes it the ideal partner to advance our platform toward broad clinical impact.”
Stan Wang, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and Founder of Thymmune Therapeutics
