Pfizer sells midphase inflammatory drugs to mystery startup, exiting race against Bristol Myers

Pfizer is getting out of TYK2. Having studied its lead inhibitor in a raft of inflammatory diseases, the Big Pharma is offloading the portfolio to a new company in return for a 25% stake in the startup.

Bristol Myers Squibb has made the early running in the TYK2 space, bringing deucravacitinib through clinical tests that led it to predict blockbuster sales. While deucravacitinib suffered a recent setback in ulcerative colitis, the positive trials point to the prospect of TYK2 inhibitors delivering biologic-like efficacy in an oral dosage form. Pfizer was positioned to challenge BMS for the market.