Ipsen to buy French biotech company ImCheck Therapeutics

Core Insights - Ipsen is acquiring ImCheck Therapeutics for €350 million ($406.6 million) with potential total transaction value reaching €1 billion ($1.16 billion) based on regulatory milestones and sales targets [1][2][3] Group 1: Transaction Details - The acquisition will be executed by Ipsen SAS' fully owned subsidiary and is expected to close by the end of Q1 2026, pending regulatory approvals [2] - Legal counsel for Ipsen is provided by Allen & Overy Shearman, while ImCheck has engaged Centerview Partners as its exclusive financial advisor [2][3] Group 2: Focus of Acquisition - The primary focus of the acquisition is ImCheck's ICT01, a Phase I/II program targeting acute myeloid leukaemia patients not suitable for intensive chemotherapy [3] - ICT01 received orphan drug status from both the European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration in July 2025 [3] Group 3: Strategic Implications - Ipsen's CEO highlighted the acquisition as an opportunity to expand its oncology pipeline and emphasized confidence in advancing ICT01 into a Phase IIb/III trial in 2026 [4]