Valerio Therapeutics (Euronext Paris:ALVIO) has announced the acquisition of closely-held Emglev Therapeutics, a single-domain antibody-based therapeutic company and spinoff of Institut Curie, a leading cancer center in France.
The transaction, completed on September 29, 2024, enables Valerio to acquire Emglev’s proprietary platform of fully synthetic domain antibodies (sdAbs). Valerio has reported the establishment of a wholly-owned subsidiary, Valour Bio, which will focus on discovering sdAbs, including radio conjugates, bispecific T-cell engagers, blocking and binding sdAbs, and CAR-T sdAbs as drug candidates for multiple therapeutic areas.
The acquisition is structured through a sale of shares paid in cash, along with a contribution in kind of Emglev shares in exchange for Valour Bio shares. As a result, shareholders of Emglev became shareholders of Valour Bio.
In a statement, Dr. Shefali Agarwal, president and CEO of Valerio, and CEO of Valour Bio, said, “We believe that the versatility of this platform can not only target a wide array of antigens but potentially address current limitations anti-body-based therapeutics such as tissue penetration, immunogenicity, and ease of manufacturing. Following this acquisition, Valour Bio will focus on optimizing the therapeutic use of single-domain antibodies, focusing on developing treatments for severe and life-threatening inflammatory diseases as well as cancers.”
