The deal focuses on ICT01, a monoclonal antibody being tested in acute myeloid leukemia. ImCheck is also developing assets in infectious disease and other oncology indications.
Ipsen is buying immuno-oncology specialist ImCheck Therapeutics in a deal worth up to €1 billion ($1.59 billion). The French pharma plans to kick off more advanced testing of the biotech’s monoclonal antibody for a type of leukemia in the new year.
Under the terms of the deal, shareholders of privately-held ImCheck will receive €350 million ($406 million) at close of the deal. Deferred payments contingent on unspecified regulatory approvals and sales-based milestones push that figure up to €1 billion ($1.59 billion) according to an announcement Wednesday. The companies expect the acquisition to close by the end of the first quarter 2026.
The highlight of the deal for Ipsen is ICT01, a monoclonal antibody targeting BTN3A, an immune-regulatory molecule expressed across a variety of different cancers. ICT01 is in Phase I/II testing for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in a trial called EVICTION. The molecule received orphan drug designation from the FDA in July.
Interim data of 45 patients from the EVICTION trial showed that when combined with the chemotherapies venetoclax and azacytidine, ICT01 “achieved very encouraging high responses,” according to a presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in June. The therapy doubled treatment response in comparison to historical standard of care, which is venetoclax and azacytidine alone. According to Ipsen CEO David Loew, Phase IIb/III testing for ICT01 will get underway in 2026.
ICT01 is also being tested in childhood AML alone, as well as stage III/IV melanomas and solid tumors. Other molecules in ImCheck’s pipeline includes the preclinical therapy ICT41, a T cell activator for bacterial and viral infections, as well as preclinical work on other BTN-targeting assets for solid tumors, hematological cancers and autoimmune disease.
Ipsen has been picking up licensing deals left and right over the last two years. Since 2024, the oncology-focused pharma has signed a $1 billion deal with Foreseen Biotechnology on an antibody-drug conjugate to treat solid tumors, a $350 million deal with Day One for ex-U.S. licensing of an oral RAF inhibitor for low grade pediatric gliomas and a $1.8 billion partnership with Skyhawk Therapeutics to develop RNA-targeting molecules in undisclosed neurological diseases.
