Akebia to pay $12M to Q32 Bio for centerpiece of rare kidney disease pipeline

02 Dec 2025
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Deals
www.fiercebiotech.com
Phase 2License out/inAcquisitionPhase 1
The sale of ADX-097 will extend Q32 Bio’s cash runway into the second half of 2027.
Akebia TheraADX-097 has struck aQ32 Bioor Q32 Bio’s deprioritized complement inhibitor ADX-097, paying $7 million upfront for an asset that forms the centerpiece of its new rare kidney disease pipeline.
Akebia Therapeutics sign on ADX-097 in FebQ32 BioNeeding cash for an alopecia areata trADX-097e biotech stopped a phase 2 renal basket clinical trial of the drug candidate arare kidney disease strategic options for its tissue-targeted complement inhibitor platform. In Akebia, Q32 has found a buyer for its C3d-Factor H fusion protein complement inhibitor ADX-097.
Akebia is paying $7 million ADX-097 and guaranteeing another $5 millialopecia areata97. Q32 will receive $3 million six months after the deal closes and the final $2 million slice of the guaranteed payments by the end of next year.AkebiaC3d-FactorADX-097
Akebiaal features $580 million in milestones, most of which are tied to sales oADX-09797. Akebia is on the hook for up to $92.5 million related to development and regulatory milestones. The remaining $487.5 million in potential paydays for Q32 are related to commercial milestones.
Akebia framed the deal as part of its construction of a rare kidney disease pipelADX-097icAkebiaappening in the aftermath of a setback to its approved drug Vafseo. The biotech plans to run a phase 2 basket trial to evaluate the complement inhibitor in multiple rare kidney disease indications. Akebia aims to start the study next year.
Akebiaial is one of two Akebia rare kidney disease studirare kidney disease dosing patients next year. The other study is a phase 2 trial of praliciguat in Vafseosegmental glomerulosclerosis. Akebia licensed the sGC stimulator fcomplement inhibitoreutics in 202rare kidney diseasemake praliciguAkebia use in clinical trials took longer than expected, but Akebia now has FDA clearance to run a phase 2 study.
For Q32, the deal providAkebiaarare kidney diseasevelopment of bempikibart in alopecia areata. While bempikibart failed a phase 2b eczema stupraliciguat cutfocal segmental glomerulosclerosise AkebiaL-7R antibody sGC stimulatorhe salCyclerion Therapeuticsnd Q32’s cash runway into the spraliciguatof 2027, compared to the second half of 2026 without the deAkebiaase 2 alopecia data are due in mid-2026.
With Akebia only buying ADX-097, Q32 is continuing to evaluate bempikibart thealopecia areatassue-tarbempikibartement inhibitor plaeczema The remaining assets include ADX-096, a C3d mAb—CR1 fuanti-IL-7R antibodyas ualopecia preclinical tADX-097 eye indications.alopecia
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