Blackstone Life Sciences Launches Uniquity Bio to Develop Novel Medicines in Immunology & Inflammation

Blackstone (NYSE:BX) today announced the launch of the Blackstone Life Sciences (“Blackstone”) portfolio company Uniquity Bio, a clinical-stage drug development company focused on immunology and inflammation. Uniquity Bio is emerging from stealth with an FDA acceptance of its Phase 2 investigational new drug (“IND”) application for solrikitug, a monoclonal antibody targeting TSLP, and up to $300 million in capital from Blackstone to advance the asset in multiple indications.

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The company aims to deliver best-in-class efficacy with solrikitug across several critical respiratory and GI indications with significant unmet needs. In the next month, Uniquity Bio will launch Phase 2 clinical trials in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”) — the third leading cause of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization — and asthma, which the WHO estimates affects more than 260 million people across the globe.

“Our investment in Uniquity Bio illustrates Blackstone Life Sciences’ commitment to finding, developing and delivering potentially transformative medicines to patients around the world,” said Nicholas Galakatos, Ph.D., Global Head of Blackstone Life Sciences. “We are proud to partner with Uniquity’s team of veteran industry leaders as they advance solrikitug and expand their immunology and inflammation pipeline with additional programs in the near future.”

Solrikitug is a highly potent anti-TSLP monoclonal antibody, which prevents the binding of TSLP to its receptors. Given TSLP’s position as the “master switch” cytokine sitting at the top of the inflammatory cascade, solrikitug could have potential utility in a wide array of immunology and inflammation programs. Solrikitug was in-licensed from Merck & Co., Inc. (known as MSD outside of the U.S. and Canada).

“We believe solrikitug has the potential to be a life-changing medication for a significant number of patients who currently have very limited treatment options, and we are excited to move into the next phase of development,” said Brian Lortie, CEO of Uniquity Bio. “Our approach to development pairs the scientific rigor and quality standards of a global pharma company with the operational agility of a biotech startup, which allows us to move quickly without cutting corners. As we advance solrikitug and build our immunology and inflammation pipeline, we’re proud to have the ongoing support from Blackstone Life Sciences, which extends beyond capital investment to include their renowned corporate and scientific expertise.”