Overview
- Novartis said Friday it will buy Excellergy for up to $2 billion in upfront and milestone payments.
- The companies expect the deal to close in the second half of 2026 pending regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.
- The key asset is Exl-111, a Phase 1, half-life‑extended antibody that aims to remove IgE already bound to immune cells to drive faster, deeper suppression of the FcεRIα pathway.
- Exl-111 is in the randomized DISARM Phase 1 trial, which dosed its first subjects in early February 2026, and early pharmacokinetic data point to sustained drug exposure.
- If future studies confirm the approach, Novartis says the drug could enable quicker symptom relief, less frequent dosing, and broader use across food allergy, hives, allergic asthma, and other IgE‑mediated diseases, including in children.