-Orchard Therapeutics is a global gene therapy leader with experience successfully developing and commercializing medicines for rare diseases-
-Acquisition enriches Kyowa Kirin’s portfolio, enables the development of numerous promising candidates with a clinically differentiated platform, and helps resource the ongoing and future launches of Libmeldy® (atidarsagene autotemcel)-
-Acquisition price of $16.00 per ADS in cash plus an additional contingent value right of $1.00 per ADS, representing a total maximum equity value of approximately $477.6 million-
-Kyowa Kirin to host investor conference call on Oct 5 at 18:30 p.m. JST-
TOKYO, Japan and LONDON, UK and BOSTON, MA, USA I October 05, 2023 I Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (Kyowa Kirin, TSE: 4151), a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company (J-GSP) creating innovative medical solutions utilizing the latest biotechnology, and Orchard Therapeutics plc (Orchard Therapeutics, Nasdaq: ORTX), a global gene therapy leader, today announced the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Kyowa Kirin will acquire Orchard Therapeutics for $16.00 per American Depositary Share (ADS) in cash (approximately $387.4 million, or ¥57.3 billion), under which Orchard shareholders will hold an additional contingent value right (CVR) of $1.00 per ADS. An additional $1.00 CVR will be paid for a total of $17.00 per ADS, or approximately $477.6 million (¥70.7 billion) if the conditions are met.
Kyowa Kirin has established a 2030 Vision to consistently create and deliver medicines with life-changing value that ultimately makes people smile, as a J-GSP. At the core of this strategy is a commitment to life, and a desire to match transformative science to areas of great unmet need. Kyowa Kirin believes the potential of cell and gene therapies to help patients aligns well with its Vision, patient commitment, and emerging expertise in commercializing rare disease medicines worldwide.
The gene therapy approach pioneered by Orchard Therapeutics harnesses the unique power of a patient’s own genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to potentially correct the underlying cause of a genetic disease using a single administration. Upon closing, the acquisition would provide Kyowa Kirin with a global leadership position in the burgeoning field of genetic medicine, including a portfolio spanning commercial, clinical, and pre-clinical HSC gene therapies designed to address serious diseases where the burden is immense for patients, families and society and current treatment options are limited or do not exist.
Orchard Therapeutics’ portfolio comprises Libmeldy® (atidarsagene autotemcel), also known as OTL-200, intended for eligible patients with early-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare and life-threatening inherited disease of the body’s metabolic system. In the most severe form of MLD, babies develop normally but in late infancy start to rapidly lose the ability to walk, talk and interact with the world around them. Libmeldy is approved by the European Commission (EC) and UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the treatment of “late infantile” and “early juvenile” MLD patients. It is currently an investigational drug under Priority Review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date of March 18, 2024.
Using the same HSC gene therapy technology platform, Orchard Therapeutics is progressing two clinical-stage programs known as OTL-203 and OTL-201 for the treatment of another group of severe pediatric neurometabolic disorders, mucopolysaccharidosis type I Hurler’s syndrome (MPS-IH) and mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA (MPS-IIIA), also known as Sanfilippo syndrome, respectively.
This acquisition will allow Kyowa Kirin to maximize the value of Libmeldy® and efficiently accelerate the development of Orchard Therapeutics’ next-in-line MPS programs, as well as its other early research programs, including a severe, genetic form of Crohn’s disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Furthermore, the combination of Orchard Therapeutics’ innovative HSC gene therapy platform technology and Kyowa Kirin’s capabilities, resources and infrastructure will enable the continued development of numerous promising biopharmaceutical candidates with the potential to deliver life-changing value in medical care, including in therapeutic areas and indications where Kyowa Kirin has deep experience, such as oncology and autoimmune diseases.
“We are excited to announce that we have signed the Transaction Agreement to acquire Orchard Therapeutics, one of the leading providers of HSC gene therapy,” said Takeyoshi Yamashita, Ph.D., Director of the Board, chief medical officer, senior managing executive officer of Kyowa Kirin. “With this transaction, we anticipate being able to use a new modality that can have a profound impact on patients’ lives. Orchard Therapeutics is a company with a steady track record in this field and has already launched its HSC gene therapy in Europe and filed for review in the U.S. Our hope is to combine the strengths of Kyowa Kirin and Orchard Therapeutics with mutual respect to realize the successful creation and delivery of life-changing value for patients living with rare and life-threatening inherited diseases.”
“This is an exciting opportunity designed to accelerate the realization of our shared vision of ending the devastation caused by severe genetic diseases and deliver life-changing value in medical care,” said Bobby Gaspar, co-founder and chief executive officer of Orchard Therapeutics. “We remain as true to our mission as ever, and joining Kyowa Kirin’s global network ensures we are well-resourced to progress anticipated commercialization of OTL-200 in the U.S., if approved, continue investing in initiatives aimed at accelerating Libmeldy growth in Europe, capitalize on opportunities for global expansion, as well as advance our next-in-line neurometabolic programs in MPS disorders and earlier-stage research programs. We look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues at Kyowa Kirin to fully unlock the curative potential of HSC gene therapy for the benefit of patients and society.”
Kyowa Kirin will hold a conference for investors on October 5 at 18:30 p.m. JST.
Outline of the transaction
Under the terms of the agreement, Kyowa Kirin will initiate a scheme of arrangement to acquire all Orchard Therapeutics’ ADSs at a price of $16.00 per ADS in cash (or aggregated value of approximately $387.4 million, or approximately ¥57.3 billion) at closing, which represents a premium of 144% to Orchard Therapeutics’ volume-weighted average price per ADS over the previous 30 days ended October 4.
In connection with the transaction, a non-transferable CVR will be distributed to Orchard Therapeutics shareholders. Holders of the CVR will be entitled to receive a cash payment of $1.00 per ADS related to the approval of OTL-200 for the treatment of MLD in the U.S. as defined in the CVR Agreement.
Warrants outstanding as of the date of the Transaction Agreement will continue to be satisfied in accordance with their terms.
The transaction has been unanimously approved by both company’s Board of Directors and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024 subject to Orchard Therapeutics’ shareholder approval, receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Following the completion of the acquisition, Orchard Therapeutics will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyowa Kirin.
Kyowa Kirin is represented by Goldman Sachs Japan Co., Ltd. as financial advisor and Morrison & Foerster LLP. as legal advisor. Orchard Therapeutics is represented by Guggenheim Securities, LLC as financial advisor, Goodwin Procter LLP as U.S. legal advisor, and Slaughter & May Ltd. as UK legal advisor.
Overview of Orchard Therapeutics
| (1) | Name | Orchard Therapeutics plc | ||
| (2) | Location | 245 Hammersmith Road, 3rd Floor London W6 8PW United Kingdom |
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| (3) | Job title and name of representative |
Chief Executive Officer Bobby Gaspar |
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| (4) | Description of business | Development and commercialization of hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy |
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| (5) | Share capital | $29,456 thousand (as of June 30, 2023) | ||
| (6) | Date of establishment | 2015 | ||
| (7) | Major shareholders and ownership ratios |
RA Capital Management, LP (25.7%) Deep Track Capital LP (9.0%) Zentree Investment Management Pte Ltd (8.3%) (as of June 30, 2023) |
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| (8) | Relationship between Kyowa Kirin and Orchard |
Capital relationship | None | |
| Personnel relationship | None | |||
| Business relationship | None | |||
| Related Party Status | None | |||
About Kyowa Kirin
Kyowa Kirin strives to create and deliver novel medicines with life-changing value. As a Japan-based Global Specialty Pharmaceutical Company with a heritage of 70+ years, we apply cutting-edge science including an expertise in antibody research and engineering, to address the needs of patients and society across multiple therapeutic areas including Nephrology, Oncology, Immunology/Allergy and Neurology. Across our four regions – Japan, Asia Pacific, North America and EMEA/International – we focus on our purpose, to make people smile, and are united by our shared values of commitment to life, teamwork/Wa, innovation, and integrity. You can learn more about the business of Kyowa Kirin at: https://www.kyowakirin.com.
About Orchard Therapeutics
At Orchard Therapeutics, our vision is to end the devastation caused by genetic and other severe diseases. We aim to do this by discovering, developing and commercializing new treatments that tap into the curative potential of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy. In this approach, a patient’s own blood stem cells are genetically modified outside of the body and then reinserted, with the goal of correcting the underlying cause of disease in a single treatment.
In 2018, the company acquired GSK’s rare disease gene therapy portfolio, which originated from a pioneering collaboration between GSK and the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy in Milan, Italy. Today, Orchard is advancing a pipeline spanning pre-clinical, clinical and commercial stage HSC gene therapies designed to address serious diseases where the burden is immense for patients, families and society and current treatment options are limited or do not exist.
Orchard has its global headquarters in London and U.S. headquarters in Boston. For more information, please visit www.orchard-tx.com, and follow us on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.
About Libmeldy / OTL-200
Libmeldy® (atidarsagene autotemcel), also known as OTL-200, has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) in patients characterized by biallelic mutations in the ARSA gene leading to a reduction of the ARSA enzymatic activity in children with i) late infantile or early juvenile forms, without clinical manifestations of the disease, or ii) the early juvenile form, with early clinical manifestations of the disease, who still have the ability to walk independently and before the onset of cognitive decline. Libmeldy is the first therapy approved for eligible patients with early-onset MLD.
The most common adverse reaction attributed to treatment with Libmeldy was the occurrence of anti-ARSA antibodies. In addition to the risks associated with the gene therapy, treatment with Libmeldy is preceded by other medical interventions, namely bone marrow harvest or peripheral blood mobilization and apheresis, followed by myeloablative conditioning, which carry their own risks. During the clinical studies of Libmeldy, the safety profiles of these interventions were consistent with their known safety and tolerability.
For more information about Libmeldy, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) available on the EMA website.
Libmeldy is approved in the European Union, UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. OTL-200 is an investigational therapy in the U.S.
Libmeldy was developed in partnership with the San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget) in Milan, Italy.
SOURCE: Kyowa Kirin
