Sanofi broadens oncology capabilities, adds IL-2 program via $2.5B Synthorx takeout

Sanofi’s deal for Synthorx shows its continued commitment to building an innovative pipeline in oncology, an area of increasing importance to the pharma, by obtaining both a clinical program targeting IL-2 and a platform it believes will add to its existing capabilities to engineer additional biologic medicines.

To acquire Synthorx Inc. (NASDAQ:THOR), the French pharma will pay $68 per share in cash, or about $2.5 billion on a fully diluted basis. The price represents a 172% premium over Synthorx’s closing price Friday of $25.03; it had traded below $12 intraday as recently as Oct. 29. The stock closed at $67.71 Monday, up 171%...