What Gliknik does

Gliknik is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The company develops recombinant biologics designed to modulate the immune system for patients with autoimmune diseases and cancer. Its core technology is a proprietary platform of multivalent Fc fusion proteins ("stradomers") that mimic or extend the activity of pooled human immunoglobulin (IVIg). The lead clinical assets are GL-2045, a recombinant IVIg mimetic currently in a Phase 2 trial in Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), and GL-0719, a recombinant Fc fusion protein that selectively inhibits the classical and lectin complement pathways, currently in a Phase 2 trial in Cold Agglutinin Disease (NCT05318534). Both candidates have reported favorable safety profiles with no drug-related serious adverse events across approximately 95 combined study participants.

Gliknik's business model is asset-light and partnership-driven rather than commercial: the company licenses or divests drug rights to large pharmaceutical partners who fund and execute late-stage development, regulatory, and commercialization activities. The defining commercial relationship is with Pfizer, which licensed GL-2045 in September 2013 (renamed PF-06755347), triggered a $15M milestone payment in February 2019 upon clinical progress, and purchased additional autoimmune drug rights for $25 million in October 2024. The company has raised approximately $16.4 million across disclosed Series B ($4.9M, Baxter Ventures, October 2012) and Series C ($11.5M, June 2021) financings, and holds 13 issued U.S. patents across 5 patent families protecting its stradomer platform.

Gliknik operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees focused on drug discovery and early-stage clinical development in Baltimore. Revenue, where recognized, comes from upfront payments, development milestones, and potential royalties on partnered assets rather than product sales, leaving the company effectively pre-revenue on a recurring basis. The leadership team and board include former big-pharma operators and biotech founders (notably former Incyte CEO Paul A. Friedman and Pharmasset founder Raymond F. Schinazi), reinforcing Gliknik's positioning as a science-led, partnership-validated clinical-stage biotech rather than a vertically integrated commercial organization.

Name

Gliknik

Legal name

Gliknik Inc.

Website

https://gliknik.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gliknik is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing recombinant biologic drug candidates, including GL-2045 and GL-0719, for patients with autoimmune and complement-mediated diseases. The company monetizes its stradomer platform primarily through licensing partnerships, notably with Pfizer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical-stage Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Recombinant Protein Therapeutics (enzymes, hormones, growth factors) (HLAAAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAB), Immunology & Inflammation Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAD), Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical
• Recombinant biologics
• Autoimmune disease therapies
• Fc fusion proteins
• Complement pathway modulators

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Milestone Payments: Gliknik generates revenue through licensing agreements with pharmaceutical partners. The company receives upfront payments, milestone payments tied to clinical progress, and royalties on commercialized products. Notable example: $15 million milestone payment from Pfizer for clinical progress with GL-2045 (PF-06755347).
2. Drug Rights Acquisitions: Sale of drug rights and assets to pharmaceutical companies. Example: Pfizer bought autoimmune disease drug rights from Gliknik for $25 million.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gliknik discovers and develops recombinant biologic drug candidates for autoimmune diseases and immune disorders. Its lead clinical assets are GL-2045, a recombinant IVIg mimetic (stradomer) in Phase 2 for Immune Thrombocytopenia, and GL-0719, a recombinant Fc fusion protein in Phase 2 for Cold Agglutinin Disease. The company monetizes these assets through licensing, milestone, and royalty agreements with large pharmaceutical partners, most notably Pfizer.

Product overview

Gliknik is a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing innovative biologics for immune disorders. The company's clinical-stage portfolio includes GL-2045, a recombinant IVIg mimetic for autoimmune diseases like ITP, and GL-0719, a complement pathway modulator for complement-mediated diseases including Cold Agglutinin Disease. Both drug candidates are designed as recombinant alternatives to plasma-derived products, offering advantages in potency, convenience (subcutaneous injection), supply consistency, and safety. The company also advanced GL-0817 (a cancer immunomodulator) and has licensed GL-2045 (PF-06755347) to Pfizer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GL-2045: A recombinant version of the active fraction of IVIg, designed as a substitute for the blood product IVIg for treating autoimmune diseases such as Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP).
• GL-0719
• Stradomers

Products and services

• GL-2045 Recombinant version of the active fraction of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), designed as a multimerized Fc protein (stradomer) for subcutaneous administration in autoimmune diseases including Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) and CIDP. Licensed to Pfizer as PF-06755347.
• GL-0719 Recombinant Fc fusion protein designed to selectively inhibit the classical and lectin complement pathways upstream in the complement cascade for treating complement-mediated autoimmune diseases, with Cold Agglutinin Disease as the lead indication.

Quantifiable outcome

• GL-2045 has been generally safe and well tolerated with no drug-related Serious Adverse Events in approximately 45 study participants who have received GL-2045 SC.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Pfizer Inc.flagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 30 September 2013Gliknik entered into a licensing agreement with Pfizer for a drug candidate targeting autoimmune diseases. Pfizer acquired rights to GL-2045 (renamed PF-06755347) and related compounds. The partnership includes milestone payments and royalties. Pfizer received orphan drug designation from FDA for the drug candidate directed towards a rare neurological disorder. Pfizer subsequently paid $15 million milestone payment for clinical progress and $25 million for additional autoimmune disease drug rights.
• Cooley LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGliknik has been represented by Cooley LLP on intellectual property matters for approximately a decade, handling patent filings worldwide.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• argenx: Argenx develops Fc-based biologics (efgartigimod/Vyvgart) for autoimmune diseases including ITP. The most direct comparability to Gliknik: same Fc receptor biology, same ITP indication overlap, and similar strategy of replacing IVIg mechanisms with engineered recombinant antibodies.
• Apellis Pharmaceuticals: Apellis developed pegcetacoplan (Empaveli/Aspaveli) for complement-mediated diseases including Cold Agglutinin Disease, directly overlapping with Gliknik's GL-0719 development program. Comparable clinical-stage complement therapeutics company with similar indication focus.
• Viela Bio: Viela Bio was a clinical-stage autoimmune biologics company (anti-CD19/inebilizumab) acquired by Horizon Therapeutics. Direct peer to Gliknik as a small autoimmune-focused biotech; both targeted B-cell and complement-mediated diseases with biologic modalities.
• Momenta Pharmaceuticals: Momenta was a clinical-stage autoimmune biologics company (targeting Fc receptor pathways) acquired by Johnson & Johnson. Highly comparable to Gliknik in therapeutic focus on autoimmune disease and Fc receptor modulation, with a similar small-biotech development model.
• Ra Pharmaceuticals: Ra Pharma developed peptide complement inhibitors (zilucoplan) and was acquired by UCB. Direct peer in complement therapeutics with similar clinical-stage development profile and strategic exit pathway via big-pharma acquisition.

Broad incumbents

• Alexion (AstraZeneca Rare Disease): Alexion commercializes eculizumab (Soliris) and ravulizumab (Ultomiris), the established C5 complement inhibitors. Direct mechanistic overlap with Gliknik's GL-0719 in complement-mediated diseases, with broad rare disease portfolio and significantly greater resources.
• BioMarin Pharmaceutical: BioMarin is an established rare-disease biopharmaceutical company with a biologic modality focus. Comparable to Gliknik in targeting small, underserved autoimmune and rare disease populations with biologics, and as a potential acquirer profile for clinical-stage assets.

Emerging players

• Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals: Kiniksa is a clinical-stage immunology-focused biotech (rilonacept, mavrilimumab) with board overlap to Gliknik via Richard S. Levy. Comparable as a small-cap immunology biotech pursuing niche autoimmune indications with biologics.
• AnaptysBio: AnaptysBio is a clinical-stage antibody platform company developing therapeutics for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Comparable to Gliknik in the protein-engineering platform approach and autoimmune therapeutic area focus.

Others

• Madrigal Pharmaceuticals: Madrigal is led by Paul A. Friedman (also a Gliknik board member) and successfully developed resmetirom for NASH. Relevant as a comparable small-biotech commercial trajectory under shared board leadership, though in a different therapeutic area.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gliknik-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gliknik