Sanofi to acquire Blueprint Medicines in US$ 9.1B deal

FRANCE – Sanofi is making a major move in rare disease treatment by planning to acquire Blueprint Medicines for about US$ 9.1 billion.

This deal will give Sanofi full rights to Ayvakit (also known as Ayvakyt), a medication approved to treat advanced systemic mastocytosis (ASM), a rare and serious blood disorder.

ASM includes several related conditions, such as aggressive systemic mastocytosis, systemic mastocytosis with another blood cancer (SM-AHN), and mast cell leukemia (MCL).

People with ASM often suffer from symptoms like itching, stomach pain, nausea, fever, and fatigue. In severe cases, it can cause organ damage, broken bones, and anemia.

Life expectancy for ASM patients can range from six months to just a few years. Ayvakit is currently the only medicine approved to treat these forms of mastocytosis. Along with Ayvakit, Sanofi will also take over Blueprint’s pipeline of new drugs.

This includes elenestinib, which is in late-stage (Phase 3) testing, and BLU-808, an early-stage medicine designed to treat conditions such as chronic hives, allergic rhinitis, and potentially allergic asthma.

These additions align with Sanofi’s plan to expand its rare disease and immunology business. Sanofi’s CEO, Paul Hudson, says the purchase is a key step in building the company’s strength in immunology.

The deal is an all-cash offer of US$ 129 per share, with the chance for Blueprint shareholders to earn an extra US$ 6 per share if certain drug development and approval goals are met for BLU-808. If those targets are reached, the total value of the deal would rise to around $9.5 billion.

This acquisition is part of Sanofi’s larger strategy to invest in innovative treatments. Recently, the company completed the sale of its consumer health business, generating €10 billion (US$ 11.4 billion) to help fund future acquisitions.

Sanofi also acquired Vigil Neuroscience, a company developing a drug for Alzheimer’s disease, for about $470 million.

Blueprint Medicines, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, earned nearly US$ 150 million from Ayvakit sales in the first quarter of this year and expects up to US$ 720 million in total sales for 2025. The company believes sales could reach US$ 2 billion or more by 2030.

Blueprint’s CEO, Kate Haviland, said Sanofi is a strong match due to its leadership in rare diseases and immunology. She called the acquisition a “new chapter” for Blueprint and a promising future for patients who rely on these advanced therapies.