The deployment of targeted monoclonal antibodies has shown great promise in autoimmune diseases, to be sure. And Crohn’s has become a high burden one of those diseases, especially in the late post-industrial world. [Highly-processed food / fat-laden diets may be a factor.]

And so it makes sense that Merck would come knocking. Here’s the rundown — and a bit:

…Merck has agreed to acquire Prometheus Biosciences (NASDAQ:RXDX), a clinical-stage biotech focused on immunology, for $200.00 per share in cash, indicating a total equity value of nearly $10.8B, the companies announced Sunday.

Prometheus has seen promising results in late-stage studies for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, and other autoimmune conditions with its lead candidate PRA023, a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like ligand 1A (TL1A)….

Not the same scale as the SeaGen / Pfizer deal (~$43 billion)… but it is clear that the major pharmas are… becoming acquisitive, again — even in a potentially deteriorating economic picture.

Now you know. grinning, into a gray and wildly colder Sunday — with snow possible tonight, after 82 yesterday. [But nah, global climate change is a myth. /snark….]

नमस्ते