Ipsen Acquires Memo Therapeutics AG

(CONNECT) Memo Therapeutics, a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, has secured an exit: The biotech company, based at the Bio-Technopark in Schlieren-Zurich, is being acquired by the Paris-based biopharmaceutical company Ipsen. According to a press release, the acquisition focuses on Potravitug, a novel monoclonal antibody against the BK polyomavirus developed by Memo Therapeutics, for which Phase 3 clinical trials are scheduled to begin later this year.

Ipsen will acquire all of the shares of Memo Therapeutics AG. A prerequisite for this is that the assets and employees of Memo Therapeutics AG that are not related to Potravitug be transferred in advance to Memorises Bio AG, which will be newly established on June 19, 2026. It is owned by the shareholders of Memo Therapeutics AG and is headquartered at the same address in Schlieren.

Upon completion of the transaction, which is scheduled for the third quarter, Ipsen will pay 200 million euros. Including certain development, regulatory approval, and sales milestones, the total potential compensation amounts to over 700 million euros.

Potravitug is a novel monoclonal antibody that inhibits the reactivation of BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) in kidney transplant recipients. This widespread virus, which almost everyone carries in an inactive, asymptomatic form, can be activated by a weakened immune system and lead to kidney disease (nephropathy). This occurs relatively frequently in immunosuppressed kidney transplant recipients and can lead to graft loss. Potravitug would be the first treatment for polyomavirus-associated nephropathy.

“Today marks a turning point in the history of Memo Therapeutics AG and confirms years of scientific innovation,” Memo Therapeutics CEO Erik van den Berg is quoted as saying. “We are very pleased to have brought Ipsen on board to further develop this important drug. Thanks to its extensive expertise in the development and marketing of drugs for rare diseases, Ipsen can ensure that this groundbreaking compound reaches its full potential,” said van den Berg.

This transaction is also a success for Verve Ventures, a venture capital firm operating out of Zug and Zurich—an early-stage investor that has increased its investment in every funding round: “An acquisition by a global leader in rare diseases is exactly the kind of exit that validates our approach in the life sciences,” Verve stated in a press release: “Swiss science, backed by European capital, acquired by a leading European company.” ce/mm