X4 Pharmaceuticals completes merger with Arsanis to advance rare disease and cancer treatments

X4 Pharmaceuticals has finalised its merger with Arsanis, creating a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on tackling rare diseases and cancer. This strategic move unites two Massachusetts-based companies, with X4 Pharmaceuticals specializing in immune cell trafficking therapies for conditions such as primary immunodeficiencies and cancer, and Arsanis leading the charge in monoclonal antibody (mAb) immunotherapies for serious infectious diseases.

Strengthening capabilities for future growth

As part of the merger, X4 Pharmaceuticals gains critical resources, expanding its financial strength and bolstering its management, clinical development, and regulatory teams. The integration also enhances X4’s research and development (R&D) capacity, particularly in Europe, through Arsanis’ established Vienna facility. The deal was originally announced in November 2018, where X4 Pharmaceuticals shareholders exchanged each of their shares for 0.5702 shares of Arsanis, setting the stage for this transformative combination.

Leadership and corporate transition

Following the merger, Arsanis will operate under the X4 Pharmaceuticals name, marking a new chapter for the company. The new entity will be headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with original X4 Pharmaceuticals stockholders holding around 70% of the enlarged company, while Arsanis’ shareholders will retain approximately 30%.

A vision for the future

Paula Ragan, President and CEO of X4 Pharmaceuticals, expressed enthusiasm about the merger, calling it a “transformative event” that propels the company into the next phase of corporate growth. She highlighted the merger’s potential to fast-track the company’s lead program, X4P-001, which targets WHIM syndrome, and bring it closer to Phase 3 trials. Ragan also noted that the acquisition of Arsanis’ synergistic R&D capabilities will allow X4 to build a globally recognized Center of Research Excellence, laying the groundwork for sustained growth and global leadership in the rare disease sector.