Eyeing A Challenge to a Blockbuster

Tepezza became an instant blockbuster when it hit the market as the first targeted therapy for thyroid eye disease, a rare autoimmune condition that causes eyes to bulge, vision problems, and can lead to long-term damage to the eyes. The success of Tepezza drove Amgen’s $27.8 billion acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics, announced at the end of 2022. Now, Viridian Therapeutics is developing veligrotug, a potential challenger to Tepezza. It’s betting that its demonstrated efficacy, greater dosing convenience, and data showing an ability to resolve double vision associated with thyroid eye disease will make it a fierce competitor. We spoke to Steve Mahoney, CEO of Viridian, about the complexities of thyroid eye disease, the challenges of living with the condition, and why veligrotug has the potential to provide a new alternative for people living with the condition.