AbbVie to Advance Once-Daily ABT-494 to Phase 3 in Rheumatoid Arthritis by Year-End

- AbbVie to opt-out of collaboration with Galapagos on filgotinib

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Sep 25, 2015, 07:13 ET

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Sept. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV), a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it will advance ABT-494, its internally developed investigational selective JAK1 inhibitor, to Phase 3 studies in rheumatoid arthritis. Following a thorough review of available data, AbbVie will not exercise its right to in-license the Galapagos JAK1 inhibitor, filgotinib.

"We believe ABT-494 has the potential to become a best-in-class therapy for patients," said Michael Severino, M.D., executive vice president, research and development and chief scientific officer, AbbVie. "In our view, ABT-494 also offers a faster path to Phase 3 development with less uncertainty."

Per the terms of the agreement with Galapagos, all rights to filgotinib will revert solely to Galapagos.

About AbbVie

AbbVie is a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott Laboratories. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world's most complex and serious diseases. Together with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pharmacyclics, AbbVie employs more than 28,000 people worldwide and markets medicines in more than 170 countries. For further information on the company and its people, portfolio and commitments, please visit www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the likelihood that the transaction is consummated, the expected benefits of the transaction, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, and changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," in AbbVie's 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE AbbVie