AbbVie has acquired Nimble Therapeutics, a spinout from Roche, for $200 million. Nimble is developing an oral peptide drug for psoriasis that targets the interleukin-23 (IL23) receptor, a key player in autoimmune diseases.

This receptor is involved in inflammatory and immune responses, which contribute to conditions like psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). AbbVie's existing injectable antibody drug, Skyrizi, also targets IL23 and is approved for psoriasis and ulcerative colitis.

The acquisition of Nimble allows AbbVie to offer a less invasive and more convenient treatment option for patients. AbbVie's senior vice president and global head of discovery research, Jonathon Sedgwick, highlighted the potential of this acquisition to address the unmet medical needs of individuals with autoimmune diseases, leveraging the expertise of both companies in immunology.