The Ipsen laboratory announced on Monday the acquisition of the biopharmaceutical company Epizyme, which specializes in cancer treatment drugs. The company is developing the Tazverik in particular, for 247 million dollars (236.6 million francs).
“The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Ipsen and Epizyme, with completion expected by the end of the third quarter of 2022”, specifies Ipsen, the third French laboratory, in a press release.
Epizyme is a research-to-market biopharmaceutical company specializing in ‘new epigenetic drugs for cancer patients’.
Epigenetics designates the science which studies the nature of the mechanisms modifying in a reversible, transmissible (during cell division) and adaptive manner the expression of genes without changing the DNA.
Tazverik, Epizyme’s lead drug, is a chemotherapy-free EZH2 inhibitor, ‘which obtained fast-track approval from US authorities in 2020’.
“Thanks to this agreement”, Ipsen will “develop (its) assets in oncology”, underlines David Loew, CEO of Ipsen. “Ipsen’s capabilities and resources, combined with those of Epizyme will accelerate Tazverik’s growth to reach its full potential for follicular lymphoma patients,” he adds.
At the beginning of June, David Loew had indicated during a press briefing that his company (which he has led since 2020) had as a priority to expand the portfolio of drugs in development, which will go through partnerships or acquisitions, he specified. -he.
For this, Ipsen has 2.5 billion euros, which will be increased to 3.5 billion euros by 2024, following the finalization of the sale of its family health activity to the Mayalo Spindle group, an announcement carried out in February, added Mr. Loew.
Ipsen entered into seven license partnerships last year, covering eight molecules. For the laboratory, it is indeed necessary to counter the fall in sales of its flagship product, the anti-cancer drug Somatuline, which last year brought in 1.2 billion euros. Somatuline now faces competition from a generic in Europe, and will soon also do so in its biggest market, North America.
/ATS
