Alpine Immune Sciences
Alpine Immune Sciences was a Seattle-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing povetacicept, a dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor for IgA nephropathy and other autoimmune diseases. The company was pre-revenue, raised over $474 million across multiple funding rounds, and was acquired by Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2024 for $4.9 billion.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Alpine Immune Sciences does
Alpine Immune Sciences was a Seattle-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing protein-based immunotherapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Founded in 2015 and publicly listed on NASDAQ under the ticker ALPN from 2017, the company operated with 51-100 employees at its Seattle headquarters and was incorporated in Washington, USA. During its independent existence, the company had no commercial products on the market and served end-patient populations with autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, with particular focus on IgA nephropathy (IgAN), an indication affecting approximately 1.5 million people worldwide.
The company's lead asset was povetacicept, a dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor characterized as a pipeline-in-a-product candidate. In the Phase 3 RAINIER trial, povetacicept demonstrated a 52% reduction in urine protein over 36 weeks compared to 4.3% for placebo, supporting its potential as a significant therapy for IgA nephropathy. Analysts estimated the renal franchise could exceed $10 billion in peak sales. The company raised approximately $474 million cumulatively across venture and post-IPO equity rounds between 2015 and 2023, with lead investors including Frazier Healthcare Partners, OrbiMed, and Decheng Capital. Leadership included co-founder and Executive Chairman Mitchell Gold, President Jay Venkatesan, Chief Business Officer Remy Durand, and Chief Medical Officer Wolfgang Dummer.
Alpine's business model was a capital-markets-funded, pre-commercial R&D model: the company raised public and private equity to advance its clinical pipeline, generated no product revenue, and had no commercial distribution or marketing channels. In 2024, Vertex Pharmaceuticals acquired Alpine Immune Sciences for approximately $4.9 billion in cash at $65 per share, with the acquisition unanimously approved by both company boards. Following the acquisition, Alpine Immune Sciences ceased operating as an independent entity and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a Boston-based diversified biotech company.
Alpine Immune Sciences firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alpine Immune Sciences
- Legal name
- Alpine Immune Sciences
- Website
- https://alpineimmunesciences.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Alpine Immune Sciences was a Seattle-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing povetacicept, a dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor for IgA nephropathy and other autoimmune diseases. The company was pre-revenue, raised over $474 million across multiple funding rounds, and was acquired by Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2024 for $4.9 billion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alpine Immune Sciences industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Biopharmaceutical Immunotherapy
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Plasma-Derived Therapeutics (immunoglobulins, albumin, clotting factors) (HLAAAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAB), Immunology & Inflammation Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAD)
Keywords
Where Alpine Immune Sciences is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Alpine Immune Sciences business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations
Alpine Immune Sciences product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alpine Immune Sciences was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel immunotherapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Its lead asset, povetacicept, is a dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor being advanced for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and other autoimmune indications. The company was acquired by Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2024 for approximately $4.9 billion, reflecting the asset's clinical and commercial potential demonstrated in the Phase 3 RAINIER trial.
Product overview
Alpine Immune Sciences was a Seattle-based biotech company that went public in 2017 and was developing drugs for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The company's primary asset was povetacicept, a pipeline-in-a-product candidate for IgA nephropathy and potentially other autoimmune indications. The company was acquired by Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2024 for approximately $4.9 billion before any commercial product launch.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Povetacicept Povetacicept is a pipeline-in-a-product biologic drug candidate (a dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor) being developed for the treatment of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. It demonstrated a 52% reduction in urine protein versus 4.3% for placebo over 36 weeks in the Phase 3 RAINIER trial.
Quantifiable outcome
- 52% reduction in urine protein versus 4.3% for placebo over 36 weeks in Phase 3 RAINIER trial
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Alpine Immune Sciences
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Alpine Immune Sciences technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Alpine Immune Sciences partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Vertex PharmaceuticalscoreVertex Pharmaceuticals acquired Alpine Immune Sciences for approximately $4.9 billion in cash at $65 per share. The acquisition was unanimously approved by both company boards and completed in 2024. Vertex gained access to Alpine's key asset povetacicept, a pipeline-in-a-product for IgA nephropathy and other autoimmune diseases.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Alpine Immune Sciences competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Travere Therapeutics: Develops sparsentan (Filspari, with Otsuka) for IgA nephropathy and FSGS. Direct competitor in IgAN with an active commercial product and overlapping prescriber base.
- Omeros Corporation: Develops narsoplimab for IgA nephropathy and other complement/inflammation-mediated diseases. Competes in the same IgAN patient population and nephrology prescriber channel.
- Calliditas Therapeutics: Commercial-stage biopharma whose lead product Tarpeyo is approved for IgA nephropathy. Direct therapeutic-area competitor to Alpine's Povetacicept and the most relevant precedent for commercial launch in IgAN.
- Vera Therapeutics: Late-stage clinical biotech developing atacicept, a dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor for IgA nephropathy. Mechanism-overlap competitor to Povetacicept and a direct comparator asset in the same indication.
- Chinook Therapeutics: Pre-acquisition by Novartis, Chinook was a kidney-disease biotech with late-stage IgAN and rare renal assets — a directly comparable targeted-rare-nephrology developer to Alpine.
- Aurinia Pharmaceuticals: Commercial-stage developer of voclosporin (Lupkynis) for lupus nephritis, with adjacency to IgAN and rare autoimmune kidney disease — comparable target physicians, payers, and regulatory pathway.
Emerging players
- argenx: Commercial-stage immunology biotech with FcRn-targeted therapies (e.g., VYVGART) for autoimmune diseases. Comparable as a developer of innovative biologics for autoimmune indications with similar commercial-stage profiles.
Broad incumbents
- Bristol Myers Squibb: Major immunology franchise (e.g., Zeposia, Sotyktu) with overlapping R&D focus in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including active IgAN-adjacent programs.
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Acquired Alpine in 2024 for ~$4.9B; the most directly comparable large-cap acquirer in the IgAN/autoimmune biologic space and now the strategic steward of Povetacicept.
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical: Commercializes sparsentan (Filspari) in IgAN through a partnership with Travere. A larger incumbent nephrology/specialty pharma with direct overlap on Alpine's lead indication.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Alpine Immune Sciences social profiles
Digital presenceAlpine Immune Sciences financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alpine Immune Sciences leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Alpine Immune Sciences funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alpine Immune Sciences M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alpine Immune Sciences
What does Alpine Immune Sciences do?
Alpine Immune Sciences was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel immunotherapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Its lead asset, povetacicept, is a dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor being advanced for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and other autoimmune indications. The company was acquired by Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2024 for approximately $4.9 billion, reflecting the asset's clinical and commercial potential demonstrated in the Phase 3 RAINIER trial.
Is Alpine Immune Sciences a public or private company?
Alpine Immune Sciences is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Alpine Immune Sciences founded?
Alpine Immune Sciences was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Alpine Immune Sciences based?
Alpine Immune Sciences is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Alpine Immune Sciences's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Travere Therapeutics, Omeros Corporation, Calliditas Therapeutics, Vera Therapeutics, Chinook Therapeutics and Aurinia Pharmaceuticals. argenx is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Bristol Myers Squibb, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Otsuka Pharmaceutical.
Does Alpine Immune Sciences have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alpine Immune Sciences.
What industry is Alpine Immune Sciences in?
Alpine Immune Sciences's product category is Biopharmaceutical Immunotherapy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAAAI, Plasma-Derived Therapeutics (immunoglobulins, albumin, clotting factors), with a secondary code of HLAIACAB, Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2834.