Asahi Kasei acquires German company Aicuris
Asahi Kasei, a leading Japanese multinational company, has successfully completed its acquisition of Aicuris Anti-infective Cures, a renowned German biopharmaceutical company. This strategic move follows Asahi Kasei’s earlier signing of a definitive agreement to acquire all issued shares of Aicuris for approximately €780m ($920.7m) earlier this year.
The acquisition of Aicuris aligns perfectly with Asahi Kasei’s strategic initiative to enhance its global specialty pharmaceutical platform with a specific focus on severe infectious diseases. Aicuris brings to the table three antiviral assets at various stages of development, from marketed products to those in clinical development, which complement Asahi Kasei’s existing pharmaceutical portfolio.
One of the key assets that Aicuris brings to the table is Prevymis, a product that provides a steady royalty stream and milestone payments. It is projected to generate annual royalty revenue in the range of $100m to $200m, depending on sales. Additionally, Aicuris has pritelivir, which is currently under Priority Review by the US Food and Drug Administration with a target date in the fourth quarter of 2026. This product is targeted at 15,000 immunocompromised patients in the US and has the potential to achieve significant market penetration. AIC468, another asset in Aicuris’ pipeline, is in development for BK virus infections among transplant recipients and has a target market estimated at over $1bn.
Asahi Kasei plans to leverage its US subsidiary, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, which specializes in transplant medicine, to advance Aicuris’s portfolio. Veloxis CEO Stacy Wheeler expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating that Aicuris’s expertise in infectious diseases, combined with Veloxis’s research and commercialization capabilities in the transplant space, provides a strong foundation to address unmet needs among immunocompromised patients.
The acquisition of Aicuris is expected to contribute significantly to Asahi Kasei’s operating income after amortization of goodwill and intangible assets from fiscal 2028 onwards. This move underscores Asahi Kasei’s commitment to expanding its presence in the pharmaceutical sector and addressing critical medical needs.
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