GSK invests $2 Billion in Canadian Biotech Bellus Health

GSK, the giant pharmaceutical company is set to buy Bellus Health for $2 billion, betting on their cough medicine, Camlipixant.

The giant pharmaceutical and biotech company GSK, formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline announced earlier this week that they are set to buy the Canadian Biotech Bellus Health for $2 billion. In the recent deal between the two companies, GSK had further stated that their reason was to bet on the latter’s cough medicine as it continues to create waves across the industry.

The Canadian company’s cough medicine has moved up the slender drug pipeline in the recent past. The deal with GSK will not only continue to let it grow and expand in reach, but will notably give it access to continue on the experimental front. Presently, the drug, Camlipixant is undergoing its last stage of clinical trials and has shown positive results against refractory chronic cough, which is said to affect around 6 million people across the U.S. and EU.

Bellus’ chief executive Roberto Bellini was reported to have said the GSK is the ideal company to bring Camlipixant to the market “rapidly”. The deal between the two companies is backed by the board at Bellus and is subjected to regulatory approval, expecting to close in the second half of 2023, while approval of the launch is set to close by 2026.