It’s official: LEO Pharma has closed its deal for spesolimab (Spevigo) with Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), as announced on July 14, 2025, following approval from all relevant authorities.
LEO Pharma will now be responsible for commercialization and further development of spesolimab. Spesolimab is a humanized and selective monoclonal antibody that targets and blocks the activation of the interleukin-36 (IL-36) receptor. It is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment and prevention of generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) flares. Spesolimab is also being investigated for the treatment of other IL-36-mediated skin diseases, including pyoderma gangrenosum. It is available in more than 40 countries, including the U.S., Japan, China, and most European countries, to treat GPP flares in adults.
“With our specialization in dermatology, LEO Pharma is uniquely positioned to take over Spevigo and expand access to care, bringing progress to underserved patients,” says Christophe Bourdon, CEO of LEO Pharma, in a news release. “We are committed to ensuring this innovative treatment reaches its full potential by building on Boehringer Ingelheim’s pioneering efforts. Bringing Spevigo to more patients is an important step in helping those living with GPP, a community with limited treatment options.”
Spesolimab will be included in the financials for FY 2025 with three months of impact. Preliminary assessment suggests that spesolimab will contribute less than 1% to revenue growth in 2025. Ongoing costs for spesolimab, mainly related to development activities, are preliminarily assessed to reduce the adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBIDTA) margin in 2025 by up to two percentage points.
