Replies to post #140386 on Biotech Values

[rkrw]

ABT/Galapagos. The $200M milestone has to be paid either way, if their preset data criteria are met. So it's better than an option, at least as far as the potential milestone payment.

[mcbio]

One fly in the ointment: ABT has its own in-house JAK inhibitor. Inasmuch as ABT has only taken an option (albeit an expensive one) on GLPG0634, ABT could yet end up backing its own JAK compound rather than the one from Galapagos.

I don't think ABT's in-house JAK is specific to JAK1 like GLPG0634. Provided the theoretical advantages of a JAK1-specific inhibitor pan out in the clinic, this would presumably give Galapagos a leg up on the ABT in-house candidate, which I think is similar to the other JAKs much further along in the clinic.