Wuppertal, Germany, February 26, 2026 - Aicuris Anti-infective Cures AG (“Aicuris”) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Asahi Kasei, through its wholly owned U.S. subsidiary Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., will acquire all shares of Aicuris for a total of €780 million (~$920 million*). The acquisition will enable Asahi Kasei to strategically expand its portfolio of therapies designed to treat severe viral infections, addressing critical infectious complications faced by patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant, solid organ transplants and other immunologically driven conditions.
Aicuris has established a strong track record in developing antiviral therapies for people with weakened immune systems, for whom otherwise manageable infections can become life-threatening. Building on its flagship product PREVYMIS® (marketed by MSD) for cytomegalovirus infection prevention in a defined group of transplant recipients, Aicuris’ wholly owned late-stage candidate pritelivir met the primary endpoint in a global Phase 3 trial in refractory herpes simplex virus infection and demonstrated statistical superiority versus investigator’s choice in immunocompromised patients. The company’s pipeline also includes AIC468, a Phase 2-ready therapeutic candidate designed to specifically treat and protect kidney transplant recipients from potentially severe consequence of BK virus (BKV) reactivation.
“Asahi Kasei’s goal to address serious unmet needs in infectious diseases aligns with our mission to provide innovative antiviral therapies for immunocompromised patients,” said Larry Edwards, CEO of Aicuris. “This transaction recognizes the strength of our R&D engine and the strategic progress our team has achieved with PREVYMIS®, pritelivir and AIC468. Becoming part of Asahi Kasei will accelerate our research and development, strengthen launch readiness in the US, and bring our programs to more patients worldwide. I am deeply grateful to our employees, partners and investors, and the patients who gave us their trust, leading to this successful outcome.”
By leveraging its U.S.-based transplant‑center channel and renal‑disease network, Asahi Kasei aims to accelerate the commercialization of products currently in the development pipeline. Furthermore, Asahi Kasei seeks to maximize the value of Aicuris’ development pipeline by harnessing the synergies derived from the companies’ combined research and development strengths in the field of infectious diseases, together with Asahi Kasei’s extensive intellectual property expertise. The acquisition aligns with Asahi Kasei’s objective for a “One AK Pharma” operating model that integrates research, clinical development, and commercial functions across a tri-regional footprint spanning Japan, the U.S., and Europe.
Ken Shinomiya, Head of Asahi Kasei’s Healthcare Sector, commented: “This acquisition strategically enhances and further integrates the value chain across our priority focus areas of autoimmunity, renal-related diseases, transplantation, and severe infectious diseases. It supports the thoughtful, stepwise expansion of our pipeline while reinforcing our strong and sustainable growth trajectory toward becoming a leading global specialty pharma company.”
“Aicuris is an outstanding example of the strength of Germany’s biotech ecosystem which translates pioneering research into meaningful clinical impact,” said Christian Foerster Managing Director at ATHOS, Aicuris’ founding investor. “As one of the first investments of ATHOS, we are proud of the team’s achievements in bringing novel therapeutic options to disease areas that have not seen innovation in decades. By uniting Aicuris’ pipeline with Asahi Kasei’s global commercial expertise and reach, these important therapeutics will made available to the patients who urgently need them.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Asahi Kasei will pay approximately €780 million (~$920 million*) in an all-cash transaction to acquire the issued shares of Aicuris. Following the completion of required legal procedures, the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026.
Bank of America Europe DAC is acting as financial advisor and Gibson Dunn as legal advisor to Aicuris in the transaction.
* At exchange rate of $1/€0.85 as of February 25, 2026
About Aicuris
Aicuris is meeting the needs of the growing population of immunocompromised people who require precise therapies to effectively treat infection. Our flagship product, PREVYMIS®, marketed by our partner MSD, prevents CMV in a defined group of transplant recipients. Our pivotal Phase 3 candidate, pritelivir, aims to address refractory HSV infections in a broad population of patients with weakened immune systems. For immunocompromised people, an otherwise manageable infection can mean life or death. Aicuris, with its expertise and growing pipeline, is committed to providing therapeutic solutions for them now and in the future.
Contact:
Aicuris Anti-infective Cures AG
info@aicuris.com
Trophic Communications
Dr. Stephanie May and Anja Heuer
Phone: +49 171 1855 682
Email: aicuris@trophic.eu
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