DLA Piper advises Kartos Therapeutics in acquisition by Ipsen for up to US$1.75 billion

DLA Piper advised Kartos Therapeutics, a US-based clinical stage biotechnology company, on its agreement to be acquired by French biopharmaceutical company Ipsen for up to US$1.75 billion in cash, comprised an upfront payment of US$450 million and additional milestone payments.

Kartos Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies targeting critical cancer pathways, including programs designed to restore tumor suppressor function in patients with hematologic malignancies. The acquisition will strengthen Ipsen’s oncology pipeline through the addition of navtemadlin, an investigational oral therapy currently in a Phase III trial for myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer.

The DLA Piper deal team was led by Partners Emilio Ragosa, who co-leads the firm’s global Life Sciences and Healthcare sector, and Michael Patrone, with support from Keith Ranta (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation), Paolo Morante (Antitrust & Competition), Christopher Mikson (FDA), Jonathan Elefant (Labor and Employment), James McGraw and Arthur Cohn (Life Sciences Licensing), Jeffrey Scott (Healthcare Compliance), and Stephan Harris (Tax).

With more than 1,000 corporate and 400 life sciences lawyers globally, DLA Piper helps clients execute complex transactions seamlessly while supporting clients across all stages of development. The firm has been rated number one in global M&A volume for 16 consecutive years by Mergermarket.