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GSK to buy RAPT Therapeutics in $2.2 billion deal for promising food allergy therapy
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 20, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Home > Finance > GSK to buy RAPT Therapeutics in $2.2 billion deal for promising food allergy therapy
Quick Summary
GSK plans to acquire U.S.-based RAPT Therapeutics for $2.2 billion, enhancing its biotechnology portfolio.
GSK Acquires RAPT Therapeutics for $2.2 Billion Food Allergy Drug
GSK's Strategic Acquisition
Jan 20 (Reuters) - Britain's GSK will buy RAPT Therapeutics for $2.2 billion, adding global rights to the U.S. firm's experimental food allergy drug ozureprubart to its respiratory and immunology portfolio, the drugmakers said on Tuesday.
Details of the Acquisition
The move is GSK's first major acquisition under its new CEO Luke Miels as the company navigates U.S. tariffs and seeks new medicines to offset revenue declines from some top-selling drugs going off patent.
Impact on GSK's Portfolio
Investors are counting on Miels to help GSK hit its annual revenue target of more than 40 billion pounds ($54 billion) by 2031.
Future Revenue Goals
London-listed GSK will pay $58 per RAPT share, with an upfront investment of $1.9 billion. The deal will give GSK global rights to the ozureprubart programme, excluding mainland China, Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
GSK shares fell about 1% in early trading to 1,802.5 pence per share.
PROMISING THERAPY
RAPT's ozureprubart is a lab-engineered therapy designed to prevent inflammation caused by allergic reactions. It works by targeting an antibody responsible for the immune reaction, and offers potential for a treatment with less frequent dosing than the current standard.
"Ozureprubart ... is consistent with our approach to acquire assets that address validated targets and where there is clear unmet medical need," GSK Chief Scientific Officer Tony Wood said in a statement.
On Tuesday GSK also said that Japan's Shionogi & Co would boost its stake in the group's majority-owned ViiV Healthcare after Pfizer's exit from the venture established in 2009.
GSK retains its 78.3% majority stake in ViiV, which is advancing a pipeline of long-acting injectable HIV treatments and prevention medicines, and will get a special dividend of $250 million as ViiV cancels the U.S. drugmaker's shares.
($1 = 0.7424 pounds)
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Jan Harvey)
Key Takeaways
- •GSK is acquiring RAPT Therapeutics for $2.2 billion.
- •The acquisition aims to enhance GSK's biotech portfolio.
- •RAPT Therapeutics is based in the U.S.
- •The deal was reported by Reuters.
- •Pushkala Aripaka and Subhranshu Sahu contributed to the report.
Frequently Asked Questions about GSK to buy RAPT Therapeutics in $2.2 billion deal for promising food allergy therapy
1What is an acquisition?
An acquisition is a corporate action in which one company purchases most or all of another company's shares to gain control of that company.
2What is an investment?
An investment is the allocation of resources, usually money, in order to generate income or profit. Investments can include stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets.
3What are financial markets?
Financial markets are marketplaces where trading of securities, commodities, and other financial instruments occurs. They facilitate the buying and selling of assets and help in price discovery.
