GSK to buy RAPT, a food allergy drug maker, in $2.2bn deal

GSK will acquire RAPT Therapeutics for $2.2bn and gain global rights (excluding mainland China, Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong) to ozureprubart, a mid-stage antibody treatment for food allergies.

GSK has announced it will buy US biotech RAPT Therapeutics for $2.2bn. RAPT is developing ozureprubart, a long‑acting antibody therapy intended to prevent severe food-allergy reactions. The drug is in mid-stage clinical trials in the US and is designed to bind to and neutralise IgE. This is the first large acquisition announced under GSK's new chief executive, Luke Miels. Key points: - GSK is paying $58 a share to acquire RAPT, for a total of $2.2bn, the article reports. - The acquisition gives GSK global rights to ozureprubart, excluding mainland China, Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong. - O zureprubart (Ozu) is being tested for allergies to peanut, milk, egg, cashew and walnut; trial data is expected next year and late-stage studies are planned to start in the second half of 2027 focused on at-risk children and adults. - The article mentions RAPT’s Nasdaq-listed shares jumped about 63% in pre-market trading while GSK’s shares fell about 1.5%. - The article reports that more than 17 million people in the US are diagnosed with food allergies and over 1.3 million experience severe reactions each year, prompting more than 3 million trips to hospital and emergency care. Summary: The deal adds ozureprubart to GSK’s pipeline and transfers broad development and commercial rights outside certain Greater China territories to GSK. Trial data is expected next year and late-stage clinical studies are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027, with a potential launch projected in 2031 if trials are successful. The article describes the drug as a potential "blockbuster" with annual sales of at least $1bn.