Chinook Therapeutics

01 / WHAT IT BUILT

What the company did

Chinook Therapeutics was a Seattle-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of precision medicines for kidney diseases. Its pipeline included two late-stage assets for immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN): atrasentan, an oral endothelin A receptor antagonist in Phase 3 development that had shown significant reductions in proteinuria, and zigakibart (BION-1301), a subcutaneously administered anti-APRIL monoclonal antibody that entered Phase 3 in July 2023. Having raised about $276 million, the company became a strategic acquisition target for its renal portfolio: on August 11, 2023, Novartis completed its acquisition of Chinook in a transaction valued at up to $3.5 billion ($3.2 billion upfront plus up to $300 million in contingent value rights tied to regulatory milestones).

03 / EVENT HISTORY

Events in the structured record

1. 2020
   Late-stage pipeline

   Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on precision medicines for kidney diseases, with two late-stage IgAN assets — atrasentan and zigakibart — advancing in clinical development.

2. 2023
   Acquired by Novartis

   On August 11, 2023, Novartis completed its acquisition of Chinook Therapeutics in a transaction valued at up to $3.5 billion ($3.2 billion upfront plus up to $300 million in contingent value rights), significantly expanding Novartis's renal portfolio.