Novartis has agreed to acquire anti-inflammatory drug specialist, IFM Tre, a subsidiary company of IFM Therapeutics, for up to US$1.575 B. IFM Tre develops small molecule antagonists that target the NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat-containing receptor pyrin domain containing 3) inflammasome, which is thought to underlie a variety of serious diseases. With the deal, Novartis gains access to IFM Tre’s three-part portfolio which consists of lead Phase I therapy IFM-2427 for chronic inflammatory disorders, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and two preclinical NLRP3 antagonists.