Biogen Secures $250 Million R&D Funding from Royalty Pharma for Lupus Drug Litifilimab

Royalty Pharma has agreed to provide up to $250 million in R&D funding to Biogen for the development of litifilimab, a potential first-in-class biologic for lupus treatment1 4.

Litifilimab is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), with results expected between 2026 and 20274.

In exchange for the funding, Royalty Pharma will receive regulatory milestone payments and mid-single-digit royalties on worldwide sales of litifilimab4.

Litifilimab targets the BDCA2 protein, which helps reduce pro-inflammatory interferons associated with lupus pathology4.

The drug has shown proof-of-concept and a generally well-tolerated safety profile in earlier studies, with results published in the New England Journal of Medicine6.

SLE affects over 3 million patients worldwide, and there are currently no targeted biologics specifically approved for CLE6.

This funding agreement aligns with Biogen's strategy to maintain research momentum while managing costs, as the company has forecast a mid-single-digit percentage revenue decline for 20254.

Biogen is also developing another lupus drug, dapirolizumab pegol, in collaboration with UCB, which has shown positive results in a Phase 3 study for SLE5 7.

The partnership between Biogen and Royalty Pharma represents a significant step in addressing unmet medical needs in lupus treatment, particularly for CLE patients3.