Sanofi acquiring Ablynx

Sanofi offered to acquire all outstanding ordinary shares, including Ablynx’ American Depositary Shares (ADSs), warrants and convertible bonds at a price of €45/share in cash. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Sanofi and Ablynx Boards of Directors and is expected to close in H1/2018.

Following Novo’s December bid of €28 per share plus €2.50/share in a contingent value right, Ablynx’ shares jumped to a value of 35€/share. While Ablynx’ CEO Edwin Moses announced after the rejection of Novo’s bid, Ablynx intends to follow its plan to become a fully integrated biopharmaceutical enterprise, he now changed his mind saying: "As we look ahead, we believe Sanofi’s global infrastructure, commitment to innovation and commercial capabilities will accelerate our ability to deliver our pipeline."

Sanofi’s CEO Olivier Brandicourt said that the acquisition helps Sanofi’s transformation plans in R&D, expands the company’s pipeline of candidates in late-stage development and supports Sanofi’s expansion into rare blood disorders. Last July, Sanofi announced a R&D deal with Ablynx assemingly to check the company’s programmes and technology platform. 

Ablynx’s most-advanced product caplacizumab, an anti-von Willebrand factor mAb, for the treatment of the rare blood disorder acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is filed for MAA in the EU. An BLA submission to the US FDA is expected to be submitted until this summer. This month, Sanofi acquired Bioverativ for US$11.8bn, which will re-develop fitusiran, which was licenced from Alnylam in 2016 but failed FDA approval, to boost its hemophilia and rare blood diseases pipeline.