Novartis to acquire Excellergy for up to $2 billion

Acquisition to advance potentially first-in-class trifunctional effector cell response inhibitors for severe allergies

Mar. 27, 2026 at 7:22am

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Excellergy, a biotechnology company developing a novel class of allergy therapeutics, announced it will be acquired by Novartis in a transaction with a total potential value of up to $2 billion. The acquisition brings together Excellergy's differentiated trifunctional allergic effector cell response inhibitors (ECRIs) and Novartis' development expertise.

Why it matters

The acquisition validates the potential of Excellergy's ECRI technology and allows Novartis to strengthen its allergy portfolio with a differentiated next-generation anti-IgE program. Exl-111, Excellergy's lead candidate, is designed to go beyond conventional anti-IgE therapy and deliver faster and deeper suppression of IgE signaling as well as improved symptom control for patients with severe, debilitating allergic diseases.

The details

Exl-111 is a trifunctional ECRI designed to disarm allergic effector cells at the source of activation by targeting the IgE axis. It is currently being evaluated in the Phase 1 DISARM trial, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single and multiple ascending dose trial, with the first subjects dosed in early February 2026.

  • Excellergy was seeded in 2021 by Red Tree Venture Capital.
  • Exl-111 entered Phase 1 clinical trials in early February 2026.

The players

Novartis

A global pharmaceutical company with a focus on developing innovative medicines.

Excellergy

A biotechnology company developing a novel class of allergy therapeutics, including trifunctional effector cell response inhibitors (ECRIs).

Todd Zavodnick

Chief Executive Officer of Excellergy.

Fiona Marshall

President of Biomedical Research at Novartis.

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What they’re saying

“This acquisition validates the transformative potential of our ECRIs and the hard work of the entire Excellergy team. Novartis brings world-class global development capabilities and a proven track record of bringing novel medicines to patients. Together, we will be ideally positioned to realize the full potential of Exl-111 and the broader ECRI pipeline for the millions of patients living with severe, debilitating allergic diseases.”

— Todd Zavodnick, Chief Executive Officer of Excellergy

“Excellergy adds a differentiated next-generation anti-IgE program that builds on biology Novartis knows well, supported by preclinical evidence and early clinical pharmacokinetic data. Exl-111 is designed to go beyond conventional anti-IgE therapy, with the potential to deliver faster and deeper suppression of IgE signaling as well as improved symptom control. This proposed acquisition strengthens our allergy portfolio and reflects our strategy of advancing innovative bold science to bring meaningful additional benefits to patients.”

— Fiona Marshall, President of Biomedical Research at Novartis

What’s next

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

The takeaway

This acquisition demonstrates Novartis' commitment to advancing innovative therapies for severe allergic diseases, leveraging Excellergy's differentiated ECRI technology to potentially deliver faster and deeper suppression of IgE signaling and improved symptom control for patients.