Tourmaline’s Leap Forward
Sandeep Kulkarni, Tourmaline’s co-founder and CEO, praised the move: “Novartis shares our conviction in the critical role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease. Their expertise will accelerate pacibekitug’s development.”
The biotech, headquartered in the U.S., has drawn attention for focusing on residual inflammatory risk, a largely untapped area in heart disease treatment.
A String of Bold Moves
This acquisition comes shortly after Novartis struck a $5.2 billion deal with China’s Argo Biopharmaceutical Co. to advance therapies targeting cardiovascular and metabolic conditions.
Novartis is no stranger to aggressive portfolio building, but the Tourmaline deal underscores its bet on inflammation-focused therapies to shape the future of cardiovascular care.
Legal and Financial Counsel
Tourmaline is advised by Cooley LLP, with a team led by partners Bill Sorabella, Brandon Fenn, Nyron Persaud, and Megan Browdie, while Leerink Partners LLC serves as its financial adviser. Legal counsel for Novartis was not immediately disclosed.
Both companies declined to provide further comment beyond their official statements.
