French biotech company Ipsen to buy Kartos Therapeutics for $450 million

(Reuters) – Ipsen (IPN.PA), opens new tab will buy U.S.-based Kartos Therapeutics for $450 million to ​expand its oncology pipeline ‌with a late-stage blood cancer treatment, the French biotech company said ​on Monday.
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The deal gives Ipsen ​navtemadlin, an investigational oral therapy ⁠being evaluated in a ​Phase III trial for patients with ​myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer.
Kartos shareholders will be eligible for up to $1.3 ​billion in additional milestone ​payments tied to regulatory and sales targets.
Initial ‌trial ⁠data is expected in 2027, potentially paving the way for the therapy to be launched ​as ​early as ⁠2028.
Ipsen says the acquisition will boost core ​operating income from 2029.
The ​deal ⁠is expected to close by the end of the third ⁠quarter ​of this year, subject ​to antitrust clearance.
Reporting by Lucie Barbier ​and Margaux Perrin Editing by David Goodman

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