GSK Acquires Oligonucleotide Partner Elsie for Up to $50 Million

1. Acquisition Details: GSK has acquired Elsie Biotechnologies, an oligonucleotide partner, for up to $50 million after an 11-month collaboration.
2. Initial Collaboration: Elsie and GSK entered a research collaboration in July 2023 to explore the potential of Elsie's oligonucleotide discovery platform.
3. License Option: GSK had the option to license Elsie's technologies non-exclusively, which it exercised in February 2024.
4. Reason for Acquisition: GSK aims to accelerate the development of a next-generation oligonucleotide platform by combining Elsie's expertise with its internal capabilities.
5. Future Plans: The acquisition will support the development of predictive models for oligonucleotide design using GSK's artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities.
6. Pipeline Focus: The new candidates will target chronic hepatitis B and steatotic liver disease, with GSK's hepatitis B prospect, bepirovirsen, expected to deliver phase 3 data in 2026.