Nivalis Therapeutics and Alpine Immune Sciences agree to merge

Combined company well capitalized with $90 million in funding to advance discovery and development.

Alpine is focused on developing novel protein-based therapies using its variant immunoglobulin domain (vIgD) platform technology. The vIgD platform is designed to create novel therapeutics that modulate multiple therapeutic targets, including many present in the immune synapse. Alpine’s vIgDs are developed via a unique process known as directed evolution which can produce proteins capable of either enhancing or diminishing an immune response, creating a platform applicable to both oncology and inflammatory diseases. Alpine plans to initiate a Phase _ clinical trial with its first compound, a dual ICOS/CD28 antagonist engineered for use in auto-immune and inflammatory diseases, in the second half of 2018.

“We believe this transaction with Alpine is an exciting path forward to advance important new therapies for patients and to create significant value for shareholders,” said Howard Furst, Chairman of the Board of Nivalis. “Alpine, which has discovered novel ways to target the immune synapse, is led by a solid and experienced management team that has successfully brought immunotherapies to market.”

“This merger provides a unique opportunity to accelerate the development of our novel immunotherapy platform focused on both inflammation and immuno-oncology,” said Mitchell H. Gold, Executive Chairman and CEO of Alpine Immune Sciences. “We look forward to building on our early success by taking multiple novel programs into the clinic to help patients with significant medical needs.”