- Royalty Pharma to provide up to $500 million, including $75 million for Phase 2b funding and a Royalty Pharma option for an additional $425 million to support Teva’s anti-IL-15 candidate TEV-‘408
- TEV-‘408 is currently in Phase 1b for treatment of vitiligo and in Phase 2a for celiac disease
- Funding agreement supports Teva’s Pivot to Growth strategy to accelerate its innovative pipeline and bring treatments to patients faster
PARSIPPANY, N.J., and NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), and Royalty Pharma plc (Nasdaq: RPRX), today announced a funding agreement of up to $500 million to accelerate the clinical development of Teva’s anti-IL-15 antibody, TEV-’408. IL-15 is a key cytokine involved in multiple immune-mediated disease pathways. Emerging Phase 1b data from the ongoing TEV-‘408 vitiligo study provides preliminary support for IL-15 as a potential therapeutic target to treat a broad variety of autoimmune conditions. Teva anticipates sharing results from TEV-‘408 trials during 2026.
“Strategic collaborations fuel innovation. This agreement with Royalty Pharma enables us to advance our science more efficiently and accelerate our pipeline to deliver meaningful solutions for patients worldwide,” said Richard Francis, Teva’s President and CEO “. Vitiligo represents a significant unmet need, with only one approved topical treatment currently available and no systemic options. We are dedicated to driving scientific progress that brings new, effective therapies to people living with chronic autoimmune diseases.”
"We are delighted to enter into this second collaboration with Teva as they advance the development of TEV-‘408,” said Pablo Legorreta, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Royalty Pharma. “Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that can have a profound emotional and psychosocial burden, yet current treatment options are insufficient. Our continued collaboration underscores Royalty Pharma’s role as a long-term, trusted partner with a focus on funding innovation in potentially transformative and practice changing therapies.”
Transaction Terms
Under the terms of the agreement, Royalty Pharma will provide Teva up to $500 million to fund ongoing development costs for TEV-‘408 in vitiligo. This is comprised of $75 million in R&D co-funding to conduct a Phase 2b study targeted to start in 2026. Based on the future results from Phase 2b in vitiligo, Royalty Pharma will have an option to provide an additional $425 million to co-fund the Phase 3 development program. If approved and launched, Teva will pay a milestone to Royalty Pharma and a royalty on worldwide net sales of TEV-’408.
About TEV-'408
TEV-‘408 is an investigational human monoclonal antibody designed to inhibit interleukin-15 (IL-15), a cytokine involved in immune-mediated pathways. TEV-’408 has a high affinity and potency (in vitro) as well as a prolonged half-life, with a planned convenient self-administration option for patients.
It is currently in Phase 1b (NCT06625177) for the treatment of vitiligo. The candidate is also being evaluated in a Phase 2a study (NCT06807463) for celiac disease and was granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. FDA in May 2025. By blocking IL-15 activity, TEV-‘408 aims to reduce the immune-mediated destruction of melanocytes (pigment producing cells) resulting in white patches on the skin characteristic of vitiligo or reduce the IL-15-driven intestinal inflammation and damage characteristic of celiac disease.
About Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune skin disease characterized by the loss of pigment-producing cells (melanocytes), resulting in white patches that can appear anywhere on the body. Affecting people of all ages, skin types, and ethnicities, vitiligo has an estimated global prevalence of 0.5% to 2% though many individuals remain undiagnosed. Beyond its physical manifestations, vitiligo can impose a significant emotional and psychosocial burden, with many people experiencing anxiety, depression, and social isolation.
Current treatment options are limited. Only one topical therapy is approved, and its use is restricted to treating up to 10% of the body surface area. As a result, many people with vitiligo remain insufficiently treated, underscoring the need for a systemic, durable, effective, and safe therapy that addresses both visible skin changes and overall quality of life.
About Teva
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) is transforming into a leading innovative biopharmaceutical company, enabled by a world-class generics business. For over 120 years, Teva’s commitment to bettering health has never wavered. From innovating in the fields of neuroscience and immunology to providing complex generic medicines, biosimilars and pharmacy brands worldwide, Teva is dedicated to addressing patients’ needs, now and in the future. At Teva, We Are All In For Better Health. To learn more about how, visit www.tevapharm.com.
About Royalty Pharma plc
Founded in 1996, Royalty Pharma is the largest buyer of biopharmaceutical royalties and a leading funder of innovation across the biopharmaceutical industry, collaborating with innovators from academic institutions, research hospitals and non-profits through small and mid-cap biotechnology companies to leading global pharmaceutical companies. Royalty Pharma has assembled a portfolio of royalties which entitles it to payments based directly on the top-line sales of many of the industry’s leading therapies. Royalty Pharma funds innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry both directly and indirectly – directly when it partners with companies to co-fund late-stage clinical trials and new product launches in exchange for future royalties, and indirectly when it acquires existing royalties from the original innovators. Royalty Pharma’s current portfolio includes royalties on more than 35 commercial products, including Vertex’s Trikafta and Alyftrek, Johnson & Johnson’s Tremfya, GSK’s Trelegy, Roche’s Evrysdi, Servier’s Voranigo, Biogen’s Tysabri and Spinraza, AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson’s Imbruvica, Astellas and Pfizer’s Xtandi, Pfizer’s Nurtec ODT, and Gilead’s Trodelvy, among others, and 20 development-stage product candidates. For more information, visit www.royaltypharma.com.
Teva Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “target,” “may,” “project,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” and other words and terms of similar meaning and expression in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to successfully develop our anti-IL-15 antibody (TEV-’408) for vitiligo and for Celiac disease; our ability to successfully execute the agreement with Royalty Pharma for the funding of anti-IL-15 development for vitiligo; our ability to successfully compete in the marketplace, including our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products; our ability to successfully execute our Pivot to Growth strategy, including to expand our innovative and biosimilar medicines pipeline and profitably commercialize the innovative medicines and biosimilar portfolio, whether organically or through business development, and to sustain and focus our portfolio of generic medicines; and other factors discussed in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter of 2025, and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, including in the sections captioned “Risk Factors” and “Forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Royalty Pharma Forward-Looking Statements
The information set forth herein does not purport to be complete or to contain all of the information you may desire. Statements contained herein are made as of the date of this document unless stated otherwise, and neither the delivery of this document at any time, nor any sale of securities, shall under any circumstances create an implication that the information contained herein is correct as of any time after such date or that information will be updated or revised to reflect information that subsequently becomes available or changes occurring after the date hereof. This document contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that express the company’s opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results, in contrast with statements that reflect historical facts. Examples include discussion of Royalty Pharma’s strategies, financing plans, growth opportunities, market growth, and plans for capital deployment. In some cases, you can identify such forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “target,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “goal,” “predicts,” “project,” “potential” or “continue,” the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to the company. However, these forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of Royalty Pharma’s performance, and you should not place undue reliance on such statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties and other variable circumstances, and other factors. Such risks and uncertainties may cause the statements to be inaccurate and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. Many of these risks are outside of Royalty Pharma’s control and could cause its actual results to differ materially from those it thought would occur. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date hereof. Royalty Pharma does not undertake, and specifically declines, any obligation to update any such statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any such statements to reflect future events or developments, except as required by law. For further information, please reference Royalty Pharma’s reports and documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
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