WILMINGTON, DE — Incyte has agreed to acquire Vega Therapeutics for $1.25 billion upfront in a deal that would add a late-stage treatment candidate for von Willebrand disease to the biotechnology company’s hematology portfolio and deepen its pipeline beyond existing commercial products.
The transaction includes potential milestone payments of up to $750 million tied to future sales performance, bringing the deal’s total potential value to $2 billion, the company said.
The acquisition centers on VGA039, an experimental monoclonal antibody currently in Phase 3 testing for von Willebrand disease, the most common inherited bleeding disorder. The therapy is designed to improve the body’s ability to control bleeding and could offer a subcutaneous alternative to existing preventive treatments that often require multiple intravenous infusions each week.
The deal underscores continued competition among biotechnology companies to secure late-stage assets with commercial potential in specialty disease markets, particularly in hematology.
Approximately 135,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with von Willebrand disease, according to figures cited by the company. The condition causes excessive bleeding that can significantly affect quality of life.
“VGA039 fits directly into our strategy of building a top-tier growth company for the future,” Chief Executive Officer Bill Meury said. He described the therapy as a Phase 3 asset with the potential to become a future growth driver within Incyte’s hematology business.
VGA039 has received Breakthrough Therapy, Fast Track, orphan drug, and rare pediatric disease designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The therapy is currently being evaluated in the Phase 3 VIVID-6 trial, a global study examining the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous administration as a preventative treatment for bleeding episodes across all forms of von Willebrand disease.
The acquisition has been approved by the boards of both Incyte and Star Therapeutics, the parent company of Vega Therapeutics.
The transaction remains subject to regulatory review, including expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, as well as other customary closing conditions.
Incyte expects the acquisition to close during the third quarter of 2026 and said it anticipates recording an approximately $1.25 billion research and development charge in its third-quarter and full-year 2026 financial results.
Lazard is serving as financial advisor to Incyte, while Evercore and Morgan Stanley are advising Star Therapeutics.
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