Ra Pharmaceuticals to be Acquired by UCB

Cambridge-based Ra Pharmaceuticals is being acquired by UCB, a global biopharma focused on diseases of the immune system or the central nervous system. Under the terms of the agreement, Ra Pharma shareholders will receive $48 in cash for each Ra Pharma share at closing. The Boards of Directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction, which remains subject to approval by Ra Pharma shareholders and to obtaining antitrust clearance and other customary closing conditions.

Founded in 2008, Ra Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharma leveraging a proprietary peptide chemistry platform to develop novel therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases caused by excessive or uncontrolled activation of the complement system, a critical component of the innate immune system. The company’s ExtremeDiversity™ platform enables the production of synthetic macrocyclic peptides combining the diversity and specificity of antibodies with the pharmacological properties of small molecules.

Ra Pharma’s phase 3 product candidate, zilucoplan, is a once-daily self-administered, subcutaneous peptide inhibitor of C5. In December 2018, Ra Pharma announced positive top-line results from a phase 2 trial of zilucoplan in patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), achieving clinically meaningful and statistically significant reductions in both primary and key secondary endpoints. Zilucoplan is currently being tested in phase 3 for the treatment of gMG with top-line results expected in early 2021. Further indications that are potentially addressable by zilucoplan include immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other tissue-based complement-mediated disorders with high unmet medical need. Ra Pharma is also developing an extended release formulation of zilucoplan, as well as a potential first-in-class oral small molecule C5 inhibitor.

Jean-Christophe Tellier, UCB CEO said, “Ra Pharma is an excellent strategic fit addressing multiple areas of UCB’s patient value growth strategy. Upon closing, the acquisition will add to our strong internal growth opportunities – six potential product launches in the next five years, strengthening our neurology and immunology franchises with late and early-stage pipeline projects. In addition, the combination will provide us with the opportunity to become a leader in treating people living with myasthenia gravis, an auto-antibody mediated neurological orphan disease with high unmet medical need, as well as adding a highly productive technology platform to our innovation engine.” (Source: UCB Website, 10 October, 2019)