Incyte Corporation Inks Deal to Acquire Escient Pharmaceuticals for $750 Million

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Incyte Corporation announced that it has agreed to terms on the acquisition of Escient Pharmaceuticals, which includes the promising drug candidates EP262 and EP547. According to the company, these oral MRGPR antagonists are promising candidates for a variety of inflammatory disorders. Currently in a Phase II study for chronic spontaneous urticaria, EP262 has demonstrated successful proof-of-mechanism in chronic inducible urticaria, with potential for applications in other areas, such as atopic dermatitis. EP547, targeting the MRGPRX4 receptor, is in development for cholestatic pruritus and other severe pruritic conditions.

Under terms of the agreement, Incyte will acquire Escient for a total of $750 million, in addition to Escient’s net cash remaining at the close of the transaction. Completion of the deal is expected by the third quarter of this year, pending regulatory approval.¹

“As a company dedicated to innovation and the discovery of transformative medicines, we are excited to add EP262 and EP547 to our portfolio. This acquisition builds on our strategy to develop differentiated and first-in-class medicines with high potential,” said Hervé Hoppenot, CEO, Incyte, in a press release. “EP262 and EP547 are complementary additions to our portfolio, providing an opportunity to leverage our expertise, address the needs of patients with inflammatory diseases and additional potential launch opportunities starting in 2029.”

Escient initiated its Phase IIa EASE clinical study of EP262 in atopic dermatitis this past November. Enrolling around 30 patients with atopic dermatitis, the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is evaluating the safety, tolerability, and pharmacodynamics of EP262. Participants have been randomly assigned to receive EP262 or placebo, with treatment administered daily for six weeks.²

“With the initiation of our EASE clinical proof-of-concept study, we look forward to evaluating whether the promising preclinical findings with EP262 translate to patients with atopic dermatitis,” said Christian Weyer, MD, MAS, chief medical officer, Escient, in a press release. “If successful, EP262 could become a well-differentiated, once daily oral treatment option.”

Earlier in 2023, Escient also initiated proof-of-concept studies of EP262 for chronic spontaneous urticaria and chronic inducible urticaria.3,4 Also in 2023, the company reported positive results from a Phase I study of EP262 for mast cell mediated disorders.⁵

“These drug candidates are the result of the highly innovative research performed by Escient’s employees and scientific collaborators,” said Joshua A. Grass, president, CEO, Escient, in the press release. “With its experienced development and commercial teams in Inflammation and Autoimmunity and portfolio of commercial and development stage products, Incyte is well positioned to translate this new science into valuable medicines for patients.”

According to Novant Health, more than half of all deaths globally are a result of chronic inflammatory diseases.⁶

“Inflammation that’s not specifically from an infection or injury often doesn’t manifest into a lot of clear symptoms,” said Ketan Amin, MD, a physician with Novant Health Presbyterian Internal Medicine, in an interview with Hannah Six. “It just kind of smolders in the background.”

References

1. Incyte Announces Acquisition Of Escient Pharmaceuticals And Its Pipeline Of First-In-Class Oral MRGPR Antagonists. Incyte. April 23, 2024. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://investor.incyte.com/news-releases/news-release-details/incyte-announces-acquisition-escient-pharmaceuticals-and-its

2. ESCIENT PHARMACEUTICALS INITIATES CLINICAL PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STUDY OF EP262, A FIRST-IN-CLASS ORAL MRGPRX2 ANTAGONIST, IN ATOPIC DERMATITIS. Escient. November 28, 2023. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://www.escientpharma.com/escient-pharmaceuticals-initiates-clinical-proof-of-concept-study-of-ep262-a-first-in-class-oral-mrgprx2-antagonist-in-atopic-dermatitis/

3. ESCIENT PHARMACEUTICALS INITIATES CLINICAL PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STUDY OF EP262, A FIRST-IN-CLASS ORAL MRGPRX2 ANTAGONIST, IN CHRONIC SPONTANEOUS URTICARIA. Escient. October 12, 2023. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://www.escientpharma.com/escient-pharmaceuticals-initiates-clinical-proof-of-concept-study-of-ep262-a-first-in-class-oral-mrgprx2-antagonist-in-chronic-spontaneous-urticaria/

4. ESCIENT PHARMACEUTICALS INITIATES CLINICAL PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STUDY OF EP262, A FIRST-IN-CLASS ORAL MRGPRX2 ANTAGONIST, IN CHRONIC INDUCIBLE URTICARIA. Escient. September 25, 2023. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://www.escientpharma.com/escient-pharmaceuticals-initiates-clinical-proof-of-concept-study-of-ep262-a-first-in-class-oral-mrgprx2-antagonist-in-chronic-inducible-urticaria/

5. ESCIENT PHARMACEUTICALS ANNOUNCES POSITIVE RESULTS FROM PHASE 1 STUDY OF EP262, A FIRST-IN-CLASS ORAL MRGPRX2 ANTAGONIST FOR MAST CELL MEDIATED DISORDERS. Escient. June 20, 2023. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://www.escientpharma.com/escient-pharmaceuticals-announces-positive-results-from-phase-1-study-of-ep262-a-first-in-class-oral-mrgprx2-antagonist-for-mast-cell-mediated-disorders/

6. Chronic inflammation: Why it’s harmful, and how to prevent it. Novant Health. February 10, 2022. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://www.novanthealth.org/healthy-headlines/chronic-inflammation-why-its-harmful-and-how-to-prevent-it#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20more%20than%2050,%2C%20dementia%2C%20stroke%20and%20diabetes.