UCB acquires Candid Therapeutics in $2.22bn deal

BY Fraser Tennant

Building upon its existing immunology pipeline, Belgian biopharmaceutical group UCB is to acquire Candid Therapeutics, a privately-held clinical-stage biotechnology company, in a transaction valued at up to $2.2bn

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, UCB will pay $2bn upfront and up to $200m in potential future milestone payments for the California-headquartered Candid – a deal that swiftly follows UCB’s acquisition of clinical-stage Asia-Pacific biopharmaceutical company Antengene in March 2026.

Reflecting a platform-driven strategy in next generation immunology, UCB’s investments expand its reach across multiple B cell targets and disease mechanisms, strengthening its ability to address antibody mediated autoimmune diseases through differentiated, biology driven approaches rather than reliance on a single asset or modality.

“This acquisition demonstrates our inorganic innovation strategy in action and marks a pivotal moment for UCB, as we secure a significant technological advancement in the field with the addition of cizutamig to our pipeline,” said Jean-Christophe Tellier, chief executive of UCB. “This exemplifies the next wave of therapies to treat immune mediated diseases and reflects our commitment to setting new standards to achieve immune reset.”

Clinically evaluated in over 100 patients with multiple myeloma and autoimmune diseases, cizutamig – an investigational drug that has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or other health authorities – is currently in multiple clinical studies in over 10 autoimmune indications.

“We consider cizutamig as a potential transformative asset,” continued Mr Tellier. “It complements our existing programmes, and is poised to redefine treatment expectations for severe, underserved immune-mediated diseases, offering the potential to deliver meaningful improvements in patient outcomes and quality of life.”

In addition to cizutamig, Candid is developing a differentiated pipeline of multispecific T-cell engagers (TCEs) designed to enable deep, targeted depletion of pathogenic B cell populations in immune mediated diseases to achieve immune reset.

“We purposefully built a broad portfolio of TCE assets against a number of clinical indications,” said Ken Song, chairman, chief executive and president of Candid Therapeutics. “Our focus has been to efficiently generate clinical data so as to identify where our TCEs could provide maximal clinical benefit for the broadest number of patients.”

The transaction is subject to certain closing conditions, including required antitrust clearance and other customary conditions, and is expected to close by end of the second quarter or early in the third of 2026.

Mr Song concluded: “UCB’s successful track record in immunology, including development, launch and commercialisation, will enable the continuation of Candid’s clinical programmes and help deliver on the potential for our pipeline.”

News: Belgian pharma group UCB to buy Candid Therapeutics for up to $2.2 billion

Chiesi Group to acquire KalVista in $1.9bn deal

BY Fraser Tennant

In the largest acquisition in its history, Italy’s family-owned Chiesi Group is to buy its peer – global pharmaceutical company KalVista Pharmaceuticals – in an all-cash deal valued at $1.9bn.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement – which is not subject to any financing condition – Chiesi will acquire all outstanding shares of KalVista for $27 per share in cash, representing a 36 percent premium to KalVista’s 30-day volume-weighted average share price as of 28 April 2026.

Upon completion of the transaction, Chiesi will assume responsibility for sebetralstat, a differentiated oral, on‑demand treatment for hereditary angioedema (HAE), developed by KalVista, which addresses a significant unmet need for patients requiring effective and accessible therapies.

In line with Chiesi’s mission and strategic objectives, Sebetralstat is also expected to meaningfully contribute to Chiesi’s 2030 strategic revenue target of €6bn, while significantly expanding its commercial infrastructure and market presence in the US.

“This acquisition is a strong strategic fit for our rare disease portfolio and reflects our commitment to people living with rare conditions,” said Giacomo Chiesi, executive vice president, global rare diseases at Chiesi. “In HAE, patients continue to face significant unmet needs, and KalVista’s innovation meaningfully expands our presence in rare immunology by adding a differentiated, on-demand treatment option that can bring meaningful advancement in how the disease can be managed.”

By combining KalVista’s innovation with Chiesi’s global rare diseases capabilities in rare immunology, the transaction aims to accelerate patient access and strengthen medical and scientific engagement.

“This transaction reflects a shared long-term commitment to patients and a strong alignment in how we translate scientific innovation into meaningful impact,” said Ben Palleiko, chief executive of KalVista. “With Chiesi’s global infrastructure, commercial capabilities and long-term commitment to rare diseases, we are confident in their ability to help expand access to sebetralstat for people living with HAE around the world.”

The transaction has been unanimously approved by both Chiesi’s and KalVista’s boards of directors and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

“We look forward to working with KalVista towards a successful closing of the transaction,” added Mr Chiesi. “From day one, our focus will be on working closely with the HAE community and the scientific community to improve disease management and ensure more patients can benefit from timely, effective treatment.”

News: Italian pharma group Chiesi to buy US peer KalVista for $1.9 billion

ARC Resources sold to Shell for $16.4bn

BY Richard Summerfield

Canadian shale producer ARC Resources is to be sold to Shell in a cash and stock deal valued at $16.4bn.

Under the terms of the deal, ARC shareholders will receive C$8.20 in cash and 0.40247 Shell shares for each share, or around 25 percent cash and 75 percent shares at a 20 percent premium to ARC’s average share price over the last 30 days.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

The transaction will add roughly 370,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) of production to Shell’s portfolio and approximately 2 billion barrel of oil equivalent of proved plus probable reserves, strengthening its upstream base and supporting growth through the end of the decade. Shell believes that the deal would boost production growth from 1 percent a year to 4 percent and add 2 billion barrels to its proved and probable reserves. The transaction will bring together ARC’s more than 1.5 million net acres and Shell’s approximately 440,000 net acres in the Montney shale basin in Canada.

Shell expects the acquisition to lift its annual production growth to 4 percent through 2030, compared with 2025 levels. This raises the target from the 1 percent previously stated at its 2025 Capital Markets Day. The company aims to maintain liquids production at roughly 1.4 million barrels per day through 2030 and the following years.

“Over our 30-year history, we have built a strong and resilient Canadian energy company defined by the depth of our world-class Montney assets, low-cost operations, leadership in responsible development, and high-performance people and culture,” said Terry Anderson, president and chief executive of ARC Resources. “On behalf of our leadership team, I would like to thank our people for their dedication and commitment to excellence in all facets of our business. Through this transaction, we will realize this tremendous value and become part of a dynamic global energy leader capable of realizing the full potential of our business and delivering on Canada’s exciting energy future.”

“The ARC Board unanimously recommends this strategic transaction to our shareholders,” said Hal Kvisle, chair of the board at ARC. “This agreement delivers compelling value for our shareholders and brings together two companies with shared commitments to safety, operational excellence and care for communities and people – strengthening our ability to deliver resilient, long-term value creation for many years to come.”

“ARC is a high-quality, low-cost and top-quartile low carbon intensity producer that complements our existing footprint in Canada and strengthens our resource base for decades to come,” said Wael Sawan, chief executive of Shell. “ARC has demonstrated a strong track record of operational excellence and responsible development which aligns closely to how we do business. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues into the organization and together, furthering our strategy of delivering more value with less emissions.”

For Shell, the deal marks a major bolstering of its operations North America, particularly after the company sold its US shale business in the Permian Basin in Texas to ConocoPhillips in 2021 for $9.5bn.

News: Shell to acquire Canada's ARC in output-boosting $16.4 billion deal

Blue Owl to acquire Sila Realty Trust in $2.4bn deal

BY Richard Summerfield

Blue Owl Capital’s real estate investment arm has agreed to acquire US net lease real estate investment trust (REIT) Sila Realty Trust in a deal worth $2.4bn

Under the terms of the deal, Blue Owl will pay $30.38 per share for all the outstanding shares ​of the Tampa, Florida-based REIT, a 19 percent premium to Sila’s closing price of $25.53 ​on 17 April, the day before the announcement.

The addition of Sila, which owns 137 real estate properties and three undeveloped land parcels, located in 65 markets across the US, will bolster the real estate division of Blue Owl. That division currently accounts for around a quarter of the company’s roughly $307bn in assets under management. It also invests in industrial facilities and ​data centres, and credit secured by other properties.

The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by Sila’s board of directors, is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2026, subject to approval by Sila’s shareholders and other customary closing conditions. Subject to and upon completion of the transaction, Sila will become a private company, and shares of Sila’s common stock will be de-registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

“I am extremely proud of the company that we have built at Sila Realty Trust,” said Michael A. Seton, president and chief executive officer of Sila. “Our success in curating a portfolio of high-quality net lease healthcare properties is a testament to the vision, skill, dedication, and culture to which all my colleagues have contributed. Sila’s management team’s unwavering commitment to put our shareholders as our top priority is evidenced by the undertaking of a strategic process and execution of this transaction with Blue Owl managed funds, the leading global investor in net lease assets and sale-leasebacks. The consummation of this transaction will provide significant and immediate realized benefit to our shareholders.”

“We are extremely excited to acquire one of the best‑in‑class healthcare net lease portfolios in the market,” said Marc Zahr, co-president and global head of real assets at Blue Owl. “Michael and the Sila team have curated a highly diversified collection of critically important healthcare assets across the continuum of care, underpinned by strong tenant fundamentals, long‑term triple‑net leases, and robust rent coverage. This transaction provides us with a compelling opportunity to acquire a scaled portfolio with durable cash flows and attractive long‑term growth characteristics, while further expanding Blue Owl managed funds’ exposure to an asset class and sector we view as both resilient and essential given its critical role in both society and the economy.”

News: Sila Realty Trust to be Acquired by Affiliates of Blue Owl for $2.4 Billionto-be-Acquired-by-Affiliates-of-Blue-Owl-for-%242.4-Billion

QVC files for Chapter 11 to implement RSA

BY Fraser Tennant

Citing major financial headwinds, US media conglomerate QVC Group – the parent company behind well-known shopping channels QVC and HSN – has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The filing will allow QVC to implement a restructuring support agreement (RSA) with holders representing a significant majority of the company’s outstanding funded debt. No layoffs or furloughs are planned in connection with the financial restructuring process.

Aiming to cut its debt from $6.6bn to $1.3bn and exit bankruptcy within 90 days, the RSA outlines the terms of a comprehensive prepackaged financial restructuring plan that will substantially reduce the company’s debt and strengthen its financial position.

As of 31 December 2025, QVC had over $1bn in domestic cash and cash equivalents. Together with cash generated from ongoing operations, the company has ample liquidity to meet its business obligations during the court-supervised process. Under the terms of the RSA, all third-party general unsecured creditors will have their claims paid in full or reinstated.

Not included in the court-supervised process are QVC’s subsidiaries and entities outside of the US. The only exception is a non-operating subsidiary in Luxembourg that has no team members, customers, vendors or business partners.

The company’s global business operations are continuing as normal, including customer-facing operations in the UK, Germany, Japan and Italy, and paying vendors and suppliers as usual across all of these geographies.

“We have consolidated our HSN and QVC operations, struck new deals with critical social and media partners, and rebalanced sourcing to account for the changing tariff environment,” said David Rawlinson, president and chief executive of QVC Group. “We are uniquely positioned to compete and win in live social shopping, and are seeing early momentum in our WIN Growth Strategy.”

Launched in 2024, the WIN Growth Strategy aims to drive long-term growth and profitability by repositioning QVC as a cross-platform live shopping ecosystem, spanning social media, streaming services, e-commerce sites and traditional TV broadcast channels.

“We appreciate the ongoing support of our valued vendors and business partners, and we are grateful to our team members for their unwavering dedication to QVC Group and our customers,” concluded Mr Rawlinson. “The Chapter 11 process will allow for QVC Group to have the financial structure it needs to accelerate our return to growth.”

News: TV shopping empire behind QVC, HSN files for bankruptcy amid mounting losses