Events Details
CSL and Alentis Partner to Advance Lixudebart for Rare Kidney and Liver Diseases
Tuesday, October 06, 2026
CSL and Alentis Therapeutics have entered into a global collaboration to jointly develop and commercialise lixudebart, an investigational treatment that targets claudin-1 and could have applications across several kidney, liver and other diseases.
ANCA-associated vasculitis with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is a rare and potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease. It occurs when the immune system attacks small blood vessels in the kidneys. Kidney function can decline rapidly over days or weeks, and many patients continue to experience substantial or complete loss of kidney function despite current immunosuppressive treatments.
Lixudebart is currently being studied in the Phase 2 RENAL trial for patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (AAV-RPGN). This rare and serious autoimmune condition can cause a rapid decline in kidney function and may lead to irreversible kidney damage and end-stage kidney disease.
The treatment is designed to target claudin-1, a protein involved in inflammatory and fibrotic processes. By targeting this pathway, lixudebart is being investigated for its potential to reduce inflammation and fibrosis and help protect or restore organ function.
Under the partnership, CSL and Alentis will also advance lixudebart in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare progressive kidney disease, and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a chronic autoimmune liver disease. The companies plan to develop the treatment across these indications in parallel.
The agreement combines Alentis’ expertise in developing therapies targeting claudin-1 with CSL’s global development and commercial capabilities in nephrology. The collaboration is also expected to support the development of Alentis’ wider clinical and preclinical pipeline.
CSL will make an initial payment of US$355 million to Alentis. Alentis could receive up to a further US$1.2 billion in commercial milestone payments. CSL will also fund the completion of the ongoing Phase 2 RENAL trial, the planned Phase 3 study in AAV-RPGN, Phase 2 trials in FSGS and PSC, and other related development activities.
Following commercialisation, global profits from lixudebart will be shared between the two companies, with CSL receiving 55 per cent and Alentis receiving 45 per cent.
Source: alentis.ch
