GSK Acquisition of RAPT Signals Shift Toward Long-Acting Anti-IgE Therapies

GSK’s newly announced $2.2 billion acquisition of RAPT Therapeutics reflects a broader industry shift toward immunology assets that pair validated biological targets with improved treatment durability. Central to the transaction is ozureprubart, a long-acting anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) monoclonal antibody (mAb) in Phase IIb development for prophylactic protection against food allergens (1).

As food allergy prevalence continues to rise, the deal highlights how dosing frequency, manufacturability, and late-stage risk reduction are shaping biopharmaceutical acquisition strategies (1,2).

According to GSK in a Jan. 20, 2026, press release, IgE is the only clinically validated systemic target shown to protect against harmful allergic and inflammatory immune responses, with approximately 94% of severe food allergies mediated through this pathway (1). Existing therapies require injections every two to four weeks, however, which creates challenges for patients in terms of adherence, care delivery, and healthcare utilization—particularly given that most patients with severe food allergies are children (1).

“We are excited to enter into this agreement with GSK, which offers an attractive path forward for our programs, particularly the opportunity we envision for ozureprubart in food allergy,” said Brian Wong, president and CEO, RAPT Therapeutics, in the release (1). “This transaction has the potential to provide access to the global development and commercialization capabilities, resources and infrastructure that GSK has to offer and ultimately bring added value to our pipeline, patients, and stockholders.”

Why does extended-interval anti-IgE dosing matter for food allergy care?

Ozureprubart is designed to extend dosing intervals to approximately 12 weeks, a change that could materially alter prophylactic treatment paradigms. Less frequent dosing may reduce treatment burden for patients and caregivers while also influencing how healthcare systems manage chronic allergy care (1).

From a development perspective, long-acting biologics require precise control over formulation stability, pharmacokinetics, and batch consistency, placing added emphasis on mature manufacturing platforms (3).

Data from a Phase IIb trial (prestIgE) evaluating ozureprubart as monotherapy are expected in 2027, and Phase III trials are planned across adult and pediatric populations at risk of severe reactions. In the United States, more than 17 million people are diagnosed with food allergies, and over 1.3 million experience severe reactions annually, resulting in more than 3 million emergency and hospital visits each year (1).

“The addition of ozureprubart brings another promising new, potential best-in-class treatment to GSK’s pipeline,” said Tony Wood, chief scientific officer, GSK, in the release (1). “Food allergies cause severe health impacts to patients with existing treatment requiring injections as frequently as every [two] weeks. Ozureprubart offers the opportunity to bring sustained protection to patients with dosing every 12 weeks and is consistent with our approach to acquire assets that address validated targets and where there is clear unmet medical need.”

How does this acquisition reflect shifts in biopharmaceutical development strategy?

The transaction underscores growing industry preference for mid-stage clinical assets with established mechanisms of action. Anti-IgE therapies benefit from regulatory and clinical precedent, allowing innovation to focus on durability, patient eligibility, and long-term safety rather than target validation.

Approximately 25% of patients are currently ineligible for existing therapies, suggesting potential for broader access if late-stage trials support ozureprubart’s clinical profile (1). Long-acting mAbs also introduce new considerations for manufacturing scale-up and lifecycle planning.

Extended dosing intervals may stabilize demand forecasting, but they require early alignment between development, formulation science, and global supply infrastructure to ensure consistent product availability (4).

What could this deal mean for the future food allergy treatment landscape?

Food allergies impose a substantial economic and societal burden, with US families facing an estimated $33 billion in annual costs (5). For biopharma developers and manufacturers, therapies offering sustained protection with fewer administrations may improve adherence while reducing variability in production and distribution.

If confirmed in late-stage trials, ozureprubart could help redefine expectations for durability in allergy biologics and reinforce industry momentum toward differentiated, long-acting immunology therapies (1).

References

1. GSK. GSK Enters Agreement to Acquire RAPT Therapeutics. Press Release. Jan. 20, 2026.
2. Bartha, I.; Almulhem, N.; Santos, A. F. Feast for Thought: A Comprehensive Review of Food Allergy 2021–2023. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 2024, 153 (3), 576–594. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2023.11.918
3. Herdiana, Y. Bridging the Gap: The Role of Advanced Formulation Strategies in the Clinical Translation of Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems. Int. J. Nanomed. 2025, 20, 13039–13053. DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S554821
4. Tyagi, P.; Harper, G.; McGeehan, P.; Davis, S. P. Current Status and Prospect for Future Advancements of Long-Acting Antibody Formulations. Expert Opin. Drug Delivery 2023, 20 (7), 895–903. DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2023.2219445
5. FARE. Food Allergy Facts and Statistics for the US. foodallergy.org. April 2024.