Why A Spin-off Is A Win-Win For Big Pharma And Startups

By Gail Dutton, Contributing Writer
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When Viela Bio spun out of MedImmune in March, it started with six assets — three in clinical trials and three in preclinical development — putting it ahead of most startups and many spin-offs. “Other spin-offs often are developing assets that have been shelved for various reasons or that have been deprioritized,” Bing Yao, Ph.D., CEO, notes. “But for Viela Bio, this is a continuation of the programs, not a handoff.”

Ensuring projects remain on track during the transition is Yao’s highest priority. Hiring the core team that developed these molecules at MedImmune was the best way to do that, along with contracting some transition work back to MedImmune. As a result, Viela Bio’s development team was up to speed from day one.