On 8 July 2024, Ligand Pharmaceuticals and Austrian-based APEIRON Biologics announced that Ligan will acquire APEIRON for US$100m. Ligand will also pay APEIRON shareholders additional amounts of up to US$28m based on future commercial and regulatory events. The acquisition will provide Ligand with the royalty rights to Qarziba® (dinutuximab beta), a treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma in patients aged 12 months and above.
The deal has been unanimously approved by the boards of both companies and is expected to close this month.
Qarziba® received approval from the European Medicines Agency in 2017 and is commercially available in more than 35 countries.