Enzyvant Therapeutics and Altavant Sciences today announced plans to merge to form a biopharmaceutical company focused on life-altering therapies for people with rare diseases.

Through the deal, the combined company will retain the name Enzyvant and will be equipped with a full range of capabilities spanning non-clinical and clinical development and commercialization. It is also in the process of developing in-house manufacturing. Enzyvant and Altavant Sciences are wholly owned subsidiaries of Sumitovant Biopharma.

Enzyvant and Altavant CEO Dr. Bill Symonds will lead the merged company.

“Together, our combined team has the proven expertise to take a product from early clinical development through commercialization, and the passion and focus to drive accelerated development of urgently needed rare disease medicines in immunology and cardiopulmonology,” Symonds said in a news release. “Patients and families facing very serious and difficult-to-treat rare conditions are the inspiration for our work and vital partners in moving our programs forward.”

Enzyvant received FDA approval in October 2021 for its Rethymic one-time regenerative tissue-based therapy for immune reconstitution in pediatric patients with congenital athymia. In clinical trials, Enzyvant is evaluating an investigational product, rodatristat ethyl to address the root cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

“There is an immense human need for rare disease therapies, but innovation in this field is complex. Enzyvant has a proven track record of bringing unique expertise to tackle some of the greatest unmet needs in the space,” Sumitovant CEO Myrtle Potter said. “We believe the combined company will be better positioned to deliver breakthroughs in a way that wouldn’t have been possible separately.”