Novartis has entered a new multi-asset license and option agreement with Argo Biopharma valued at up to $5.2 billion, deepening their established partnership in small interfering RNA (siRNA) for cardiovascular disease1235.
The deal includes a $160 million upfront payment to Argo, with additional milestone and option payments, as well as tiered royalties if therapies reach commercialization15.
Argo will contribute multiple cardiovascular assets from its pipeline, including the Phase 2 candidate ANGPTL3 (BW-00112) for severe hypertriglyceridemia; Novartis gains first negotiation rights for this and other second-generation molecules23.
This latest agreement marks the third transaction between Novartis and Argo since January 2024, when previous deals totaled $185 million upfront and over $4 billion in milestones, focused on investigational RNAi therapies for heart conditions12.
Novartis aims to leverage Argo's advanced siRNA drug discovery platform, which specializes in long-acting, stable RNAi molecules—considered a paradigm shift for chronic cardiovascular therapy14.
The partnership highlights Novartis' strategy to expand its cardiovascular therapeutics leadership by investing heavily in the RNAi space, which is forecast to see substantial market growth by 20334.
This deal is among the largest biopharma collaborations announced in 2025 and signifies continuing industry momentum despite a generally lower deal volume year3.
Sources:
1. https://www.biospace.com/business/novartis-spending-spree-continues-with-5-2b-argo-sirna-pact
2. https://www.argobiopharma.com/news/153.html
3. https://www.bioworld.com/articles/723801-novartis-taps-argo-again-inks-potential-52b-collaboration
4. https://www.ainvest.com/news/novartis-strategic-sirna-expansion-paradigm-shift-cardiovascular-therapeutics-2509/