Strategic acquisition expands infectious disease portfolio

Asahi Kasei has completed its acquisition of German biopharmaceutical company Aicuris Anti-infective Cures AG, strengthening its position in the global specialty pharmaceuticals market and expanding its focus on severe infectious diseases.

The deal adds three antiviral assets to Asahi Kasei’s portfolio, spanning marketed products and clinical-stage programmes. These include royalty income from Prevymis®, the late-stage candidate pritelivir, and the early-stage programme AIC468, being developed for viral infections in transplant patients.

Aicuris brings a mix of near-term revenue and longer-term pipeline potential. Prevymis® is expected to generate annual royalty income of around $100–200 million, depending on sales performance, while pritelivir targets approximately 15,000 immunocompromised patients in the US, with peak sales potential exceeding $400 million in the 2030s. AIC468 addresses BK virus infections in transplant recipients, a market estimated to exceed $1 billion.

Ken Shinomiya, Head of Asahi Kasei’s Healthcare Sector, said: “The completion of the Aicuris acquisition reflects the deliberate execution of our pharmaceutical strategy and strengthens our position in infectious diseases, a core area where we see sustained demand, high unmet need, and long-term growth.”

The company plans to advance Aicuris’s portfolio through Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, its US transplant medicine subsidiary, combining R&D expertise with an established commercial platform.

The acquisition is expected to contribute to operating income from fiscal 2028, following integration and amortisation of intangible assets.

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