Argenx to buy Unnatural Products in deal worth up to $1.15B

· Health · United States

Argenx agreed to acquire Unnatural Products, a macrocycle peptide biotech, for $550 million in cash upfront plus as much as $595 million in milestone payments, for a total of up to $1.15 billion, BioPharma Dive and Endpoints News reported. Argenx will take control of the company's "macrocyclic peptide" technology and direct it toward oral, durable medicines for serious immune-mediated diseases. Endpoints noted the biotech started out of a garage. The deal shows continued appetite for platform technologies that could yield oral alternatives in immunology.

Why it matters：The deal signals that large biotechs will pay up for peptide platforms seen as a route to oral drugs in immunology.

Key points

  • Upfront cash is $550 million; milestones reach $595 million.
  • The target's macrocyclic peptide tech will target immune-mediated diseases.

Sources (original reporting)

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