Reata Pharmaceuticals

What Reata Pharmaceuticals does

Reata Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company founded in 2002 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, that developed novel therapeutics for serious diseases with significant unmet medical needs. Its core asset, SKYCLARYS (omaveloxolone), is an oral small molecule that received FDA approval in February 2023 as the first and only treatment for Friedreich's ataxia, a rare progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting coordination, muscle function, and cardiac health. The product was enabled by Reata's proprietary Nrf2 agonist platform, which produced a therapy addressing an indication with no previously approved disease-modifying options in the United States. SKYCLARYS was approved for patients aged 16 and older and distributed through specialty pharmacies serving the rare neurological disease patient population.

The company was publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker RETA and operated with 251–500 employees. Beyond SKYCLARYS, Reata had historically pursued bardoxolone methyl for multiple indications, but discontinued its chronic kidney disease (CKD) programs in Q1 2023 following trial results, narrowing strategic focus to the neurology franchise. The company secured a $275 million debt facility in Q1 2023 to extend its cash runway through 2026, providing optionality ahead of its next strategic move.

In July 2023, Biogen Inc. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Reata for $172.50 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of approximately $7.3 billion. The transaction, which closed in Q3 2023, was motivated by Biogen's intent to expand its rare neurological disease portfolio and was followed by Reata being absorbed into Biogen's operations as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Name

Reata Pharmaceuticals

Legal name

Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Website

https://reatapharma.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Reata Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company that developed SKYCLARYS, the first FDA-approved treatment for Friedreich's ataxia, using its proprietary Nrf2 agonist platform. Acquired by Biogen in 2023 for approximately $7.3 billion following its February 2023 product launch.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rare Disease Therapeutics

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Pediatric & Congenital Disorder Therapies (HLAIAIAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC), Rare Renal & Nephrology Disorder Therapies (HLAIAIAI), Nephrology & Urology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAM)

Keywords

• Rare disease therapeutics
• Neurological disease treatments
• Friedreich ataxia drug
• Small molecule pharmaceuticals
• Specialty biopharmaceuticals

Headquarters

HQ city

Irving

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Core offering

Reata Pharmaceuticals developed and commercialized SKYCLARYS (omaveloxolone), the first and only FDA-approved oral treatment for Friedreich's ataxia in patients aged 16 and older in the United States. The company also developed bardoxolone methyl for chronic kidney disease indications, though CKD programs were discontinued in 2023. Reata operated as a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on novel small molecule therapeutics for serious diseases with significant unmet medical need.

Product overview

Reata Pharmaceuticals operated as a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics for severe diseases with significant unmet medical needs. The company's primary product portfolio centered on SKYCLARYS, an FDA-approved oral treatment for Friedreich's ataxia. The company also developed bardoxolone methyl (bardoxolone) for various indications, though CKD programs were discontinued following trial results. Reata Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Biogen in 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SKYCLARYS: FDA-approved treatment for Friedreich's ataxia, the first and only treatment for this rare neurological disease in the United States.

Products and services

• SKYCLARYS (omaveloxolone) SKYCLARYS is an FDA-approved oral small molecule drug for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia in patients 16 years of age and older. It is the first and only approved therapy specifically for this rare neuromuscular disorder in the United States, addressing a previously unmet medical need.

Quantifiable outcome

• FDA approval obtained February 2023 for SKYCLARYS

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Design Therapeutics: Early-stage biotech developing genomic medicines for serious nucleotide-repeat diseases including Friedreich's ataxia. Emerging competitive threat in Reata's primary indication.
• SAGE Therapeutics: Specialty biopharma focused on CNS disorders with approved rare-epilepsy therapy. Similar model of small molecule neurology development in underserved indications.

Broad incumbents

• Alexion / AstraZeneca Rare Disease: Established rare disease unit within AstraZeneca with multiple orphan-drug franchises in neurology, hematology, and metabolic disease. Provides broader commercialization scale comparable to Biogen's acquisition rationale for Reata.
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Large-cap biopharma with deep rare-disease franchise (cystic fibrosis, sickle cell) and growing rare neurology pipeline. Broader incumbent operating across multiple rare disease verticals.

Direct peers

• Larimar Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing treatments specifically for Friedreich's ataxia. Directly competes with SKYCLARYS in the same indication and patient population.
• PTC Therapeutics: Develops vatiquinone and other candidates for Friedreich's ataxia and other rare neurological/mitochondrial disorders. Directly comparable to Reata in the Friedreich's ataxia competitive landscape.
• BioMarin Pharmaceutical: Specialty biopharma focused exclusively on rare diseases with multiple orphan-drug approvals. Closely aligned with Reata's business model of developing and commercializing treatments for ultra-rare conditions.
• Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical: Commercial-stage rare disease biotech with multiple approved products across metabolic, neurological, and other orphan indications. Comparable model of single-platform rare disease development and commercialization.
• Sarepta Therapeutics: Specialty biopharma focused on rare neuromuscular and neurological genetic diseases with multiple approved RNA-based therapies. Closely aligned with Reata's rare neurodegenerative focus.
• Ionis Pharmaceuticals: Develops RNA-targeted therapeutics for serious and rare neurological, neuromuscular, and metabolic diseases. Comparable specialty pharma approach in rare neurological disorders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights3 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/reatapharma
• Facebookfacebook.com/ReataPharma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reatapharma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds16 records

Investors10 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 Reata Pharmaceuticals