Wuppertal,
Germany, February 26, 2026 – Aicuris
Anti-infective Cures AG (“Aicuris”) today announced
that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Asahi Kasei,
through its wholly owned U.S. subsidiary Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., will
acquire all shares of Aicuris for a total of €780 million (~$920 million*). The
acquisition will enable Asahi Kasei to strategically expand its portfolio of
therapies designed to treat severe viral infections, addressing critical
infectious complications faced by patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell
transplant, solid organ transplants and other immunologically driven
conditions.
Aicuris has established a strong
track record in developing antiviral therapies for people with weakened immune
systems, for whom otherwise manageable infections can become life-threatening.
Building on its flagship product PREVYMIS® (marketed by MSD) for cytomegalovirus
infection prevention in a defined group of transplant recipients, Aicuris’
wholly owned late-stage candidate pritelivir met the primary endpoint in a
global Phase 3 trial in refractory herpes simplex virus infection and
demonstrated statistical superiority versus investigator’s choice in
immunocompromised patients. The company’s pipeline also includes AIC468, a
Phase 2-ready therapeutic candidate designed to specifically treat and protect
kidney transplant recipients from potentially severe consequence of BK virus
(BKV) reactivation.
“Asahi Kasei’s goal to address
serious unmet needs in infectious diseases aligns with our mission to provide innovative
antiviral therapies for immunocompromised patients,” said Larry Edwards, CEO of Aicuris. “This transaction recognizes the
strength of our R&D engine and the strategic progress our team has achieved
with PREVYMIS®, pritelivir and AIC468. Becoming part of Asahi Kasei will
accelerate our research and development, strengthen launch readiness in the US,
and bring our programs to more patients worldwide. I am deeply grateful to our
employees, partners and investors, and the patients who gave us their trust, leading
to this successful outcome.”
By leveraging its U.S.-based
transplant‑center channel and renal‑disease network, Asahi Kasei aims
to accelerate the commercialization of products currently in the development
pipeline. Furthermore, Asahi Kasei seeks to maximize the value of Aicuris’
development pipeline by harnessing the synergies derived from the companies’
combined research and development strengths in the field of infectious
diseases, together with Asahi Kasei’s extensive intellectual property
expertise. The acquisition aligns with Asahi Kasei’s objective for a “One AK
Pharma” operating model that integrates research, clinical development, and
commercial functions across a tri-regional footprint spanning Japan, the U.S.,
and Europe.
Ken
Shinomiya, Head of Asahi Kasei’s Healthcare Sector,
commented: “This acquisition strategically enhances and further integrates the
value chain across our priority focus areas of autoimmunity, renal-related
diseases, transplantation, and severe infectious diseases. It supports the
thoughtful, stepwise expansion of our pipeline while reinforcing our strong and
sustainable growth trajectory toward becoming a leading global specialty pharma
company.”
“Aicuris is an outstanding example
of the strength of Germany’s biotech ecosystem which translates pioneering research
into meaningful clinical impact,” said Christian
Foerster Managing Director at ATHOS, Aicuris’ founding investor. “As one of
the first investments of ATHOS, we are proud of the team’s achievements in
bringing novel therapeutic options to disease areas that have not seen
innovation in decades. By uniting Aicuris’ pipeline with Asahi Kasei’s global
commercial expertise and reach, these important therapeutics will made
available to the patients who urgently need them.”
Under the terms of the agreement,
Asahi Kasei will pay approximately €780 million (~$920 million*) in an all-cash
transaction to acquire the issued shares of Aicuris. Following the completion
of required legal procedures, the transaction is expected to close in the first
half of 2026.
Bank of America Europe DAC is
acting as financial advisor and Gibson Dunn as legal advisor to Aicuris in the
transaction.
* At
exchange rate of $1/€0.85 as of February 25, 2026
About Aicuris
Aicuris is meeting the needs of
the growing population of immunocompromised people who require precise
therapies to effectively treat infection. Our flagship product, PREVYMIS®,
marketed by our partner MSD, prevents CMV in a defined group of transplant
recipients. Our pivotal Phase 3 candidate, pritelivir, aims to address
refractory HSV infections in a broad population of patients with weakened
immune systems. For immunocompromised people, an otherwise manageable infection
can mean life or death. Aicuris, with its expertise and growing pipeline, is
committed to providing therapeutic solutions for them now and in the future.
Contact:
Aicuris Anti-infective Cures AG
Trophic Communications
Dr. Stephanie May and Anja Heuer
Phone: +49 171 1855 682
Email: aicuris@trophic.eu