GSK Strikes $10.6 Billion Deal for Nuvalent in One of Pharma's Biggest Oncology Acquisitions of 2026
GSK has agreed to acquire US clinical-stage oncology specialist Nuvalent for $10.6 billion, its largest deal in years, to accelerate entry into lung cancer and boost growth through the dolutegravir patent cliff.
GSK recently announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Nuvalent, a Boston-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on creating precisely targeted oncology therapies, for $10.6 billion. The acquisition is consistent with GSK’s strategy of acquiring assets that have validated targets and meaningfully address efficacy and/or tolerability limitations of existing standard-of-care therapies. It includes three products in lung cancer in a single transaction.
Nuvalent's two lead drugs target specific genetic mutations — ROS1 and ALK — that drive a common form of lung cancer. Both have been fast-tracked by the FDA and could win approval before the end of 2026, with blockbuster sales potential. A third drug targeting the HER2 mutation is in early-stage trials. The acquisition also includes Nuvalent’s preclinical portfolio of multiple programmes, built from its proven precision medicine capabilities and clinical insights from industry-leading physician-scientists.
Luke Miels, Chief Executive Officer, GSK, said: “Today’s acquisition is a multi-product deal, consistent with our approach to acquire assets that have clinically proven targets and meaningfully address an efficacy and/or tolerability gap. The two lead products are potential best-in-class assets that could launch this year if approved by the FDA and offer significant new treatment options to patients with two forms of non-small cell lung cancer.
The acquisition provides GSK with immediate new sales growth opportunities, improving profit contributions from 2027, and a platform in lung cancer for rapid expansion with Ris-Rez, our B7-H3 targeted ADC in phase III clinical development.”
James Porter, Chief Executive Officer, Nuvalent, said: “Since our founding, we have leveraged our deep expertise in chemistry and structure-based drug design to develop a portfolio of novel, potentially best-in-class kinase inhibitors. Our close collaboration with leading physician-scientists and patient advocates has driven remarkable enrolment, accelerating development and building confidence in the clinical profile of these drugs. We’re excited that GSK has recognised the significant value these programmes can offer patients and shares our vision for practice-changing innovation. GSK’s proven track record, infrastructure, and expertise will support the successful commercialisation of zidesamtinib and neladalkib, as well as accelerate advancement of our broader discovery pipeline.”
