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GSK to Acquire Rapt Therapeutics for $2.2 Billion to Add Anti‑IgE Food‑Allergy Drug

GSK moves to fortify its immunology pipeline with a mid‑stage anti‑IgE drug that could shift food‑allergy care.

Overview

  • GSK will pay $58 per share in cash via a tender offer, with closing targeted in the first quarter of 2026 pending Hart‑Scott‑Rodino review and other customary conditions.
  • The acquisition centers on ozureprubart, an anti‑IgE antibody in Phase IIb testing as prophylaxis against food allergens, with topline results expected in 2027.
  • The candidate is designed for dosing about every 12 weeks versus current 2–4 week regimens and may expand treatment to patients currently ineligible for existing anti‑IgE therapy.
  • GSK secures global rights to ozureprubart excluding mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau and will assume success‑based milestone and royalty payments to Shanghai Jeyou.
  • Rapt shares jumped roughly 64% toward the offer price on the news, while the deal was presented as new CEO Luke Miels’s first bolt‑on to bolster GSK’s immunology portfolio.