Alexion moves to buy biotech for up to $1.2bn

US-based Alexion Pharmaceuticals has announced its plan to acquire Syntimmune, a clinical-stage biotechnology company.

In a press release published on Wednesday, September 26, Alexion said it would pay $400 million upfront for Syntimmune, with the potential for additional payments of up to $800 million ($1.2 billion in total) depending on milestones being hit.

As part of the deal, Alexion will gain access to Syntimmune’s drug candidate SYNT001, which is in clinical development to treat warm autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, a rare blood disorder.

SYNT001 is a humanised monoclonal antibody that inhibits the interaction of neonatal Fc receptor with Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG immune complexes.

Ludwig Hantson, CEO of Alexion, said: “The acquisition of Syntimmune represents a critical step in rebuilding Alexion’s pipeline and further diversifying the company’s clinical-stage rare disease portfolio.”

Seth Harrison, chairman of Syntimmune, added: “Since the company’s founding in 2013, the team at Syntimmune has been focused on developing transformative therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases.”

Earlier this year, in April, Alexion revealed plans to acquire Wilson Therapeutics, a Sweden-based biopharmaceutical company that develops novel therapies for patients with rare copper-mediated disorders.

In February, LSIPR interviewed Michael Yamauchi, director and patent counsel at Alexion, about the unusual challenges that companies which are researching and commercialising drugs for rare diseases face.

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