Overview
- GSK agreed to buy all of 35Pharma for $950 million in cash, with closing contingent on Hart‑Scott‑Rodino and Canadian Competition Act reviews plus an Investment Canada Act filing.
- HS235, the lead asset in the deal, has completed phase 1 testing in healthy volunteers, with studies set to start imminently in pulmonary arterial hypertension and PH due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
- 35Pharma and GSK say HS235 was engineered to reduce binding to BMP9 and BMP10, aiming to lower bleeding and telangiectasia risks reported with some activin‑pathway agents.
- Early data cited by the companies point to potential metabolic benefits with HS235, including fat‑selective weight loss, preserved lean mass, and improved insulin sensitivity.
- The acquisition expands GSK’s respiratory, immunology and inflammation portfolio in a growing PH market, as rival Merck’s Winrevair has validated activin‑pathway targeting with strong uptake since its 2024 approval.