Ipsen is set to acquire Memo Therapeutics in a deal worth more than €700m EUR that is focused on potravitug, a phase 2 clinical-stage antibody against the BK polyomavirus (BKPyV).
BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) is a serious and frequent clinical complication in renal transplanted patients that can lead to graft loss and transplant failure. Potravitug is a monoclonal antibody directed against the BK virus VP1 capsid protein. It acts by blocking viral attachment and cellular entry, thereby preventing infection of host cells and subsequent viral replication.
Potravitug was granted fast-track designation from the US FDA in May 2023 and orphan drug designation in the EU in December 2025.
Christelle Huguet, Head of R&D at Ipsen, said: “With potravitug, we have the opportunity to add a promising first-in-class asset to our rare disease pipeline and address the significant clinical consequences of BK virus–associated nephropathy in kidney transplant recipients, where current standards of care can compromise transplant success and graft outcomes.”
Erik van den Berg, CEO of Memo Therapeutics AG commented, “With its deep expertise in developing and commercialising medicines for rare diseases, Ipsen can ensure that this breakthrough asset reaches its full potential to deliver a life-changing difference for thousands of kidney transplant patients with BKPyV infection.”
The phase 2 SAFE Kidney II trial is the largest placebo-controlled clinical trial for the treatment of BKPyVAN in kidney transplanted patients, with 95 patients across 22 sites in the US. The full SAFE KIDNEY II data set presented at ATC 2026 further strengthen the clinical rationale for potravitug ahead of the planned SAFE KIDNEY III trial initiation later this year.
“BK polyomavirus associated nephropathy is a significant clinical challenge in kidney transplant recipients,” said Darshana Dadhania, medical director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program, assistant director of the Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Lab and an associate professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. “With no approved targeted treatment, clinicians are forced to reduce immunosuppressive therapy which increases the risk of graft rejection and graft loss. Given the frequency and serious consequences of BK virus reactivation, there remains an urgent need for effective therapy that avoids this trade-off.”
Memo’s assets and employees not related to potravitug will be transferred to a newly incorporated company, Memorises Bio, retained by Memo’s shareholders.
The transaction is expected to close during Q3 2026.