AbbVie Bets $11 Billion on 'Twice-a-Year' Atopic Dermatitis Drug to Challenge Dupixent

Jun 22, 2026 17:41 CST Updated 17:41

Capstan Therapeutics

Biotechnology Developer

Recently, according to a report by the Financial Times of the United Kingdom, AbbVie has reached an agreement to pay $10.9 billion in cash to the shareholders of Apogee Therapeutics to acquireApogee, this aligns with AbbVie’s recent strategic moves to strengthen its immunology portfolio.

Earlier this year, AbbVie announced the acquisition of Capstan Therapeutics for $2.1 billion, securing rights to Capstan’s proprietary tLNP platform technology and its lead asset, CPTX2309, a potential first-in-class in vivo anti-CD19 CAR-T therapeutic candidate for B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. The platform is designed to deliver RNA payloads that engineer specific cell types in vivo, offering a novel approach to treating autoimmune diseases.

Apogee Therapeutics has been advancing the development of its optimized biologics, with its most advanced candidate drugNovel Subcutaneously Administered Ultra-Long-Acting Anti-IL-13 Monoclonal AntibodyZumilokibart is under development for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and other inflammatory and immunological indications. In May 2026, Apogee announced a $1.3 billion strategic financing partnership with Blackstone Life Sciences to support the Phase 3 clinical development and potential commercialization of zumilokibart. The financing arrangement includes up to $800 million in royalty financing and up to $500 million in senior debt financing, providing Apogee with a non-dilutive capital structure and a path to commercialization without the need for future equity financing.

Zumilokibart: During the maintenance treatment phase, every3 months or 6 monthsAdminister once. This means that patients only need one injection per year2 to 4 times。
DUPIXENT: The current standard regimen is every2 WeeksAdminister once (initial dose requires two injections). This means that patients need to receive approximately26 times。

The greatest advantage of Zumilokibart lies in its ability to, throughUltra-long-interval dosing every 3–6 months, it has thoroughly revolutionized the patient treatment experience while ensuring therapeutic efficacy (with even superior performance in certain endpoints) and a favorable safety profile. If subsequent Phase III trials are successful, it is poised to become a first-line treatment regimen for atopic dermatitis.. Apogee Company expects toSecond Half of 2026Initiate Phase III Clinical Trial。

December 2022,Apogee TheCapstan Therapeutics Completes $149 Million Series B Financing, Exits Stealth Mode（The First Company Spun Off from Paragon Therapeutics），by well-known healthcare investment institutions such as Fairmount Funds and Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners,2022Co-founded,July 13, 2023Successfully completed its IPO on Nasdaq, raising $345 million. Cumulative financing from primary and secondary markets totaled $1.745 billion, which, combined with Blackstone’s $1.3 billion investment, amounted to $3 billion in total.