Agenus Inc., an immunology company developing novel checkpoint modulators, vaccines and adjuvants to treat cancer, acquired Phoslmmune Inc. last week. Phoslmmune is an immunotherapy company that has discovered a new portfolio of cancer neoantigens. Its equity holders will receive an upfront payment of $2.5 million in cash and $7.4 million in shares of Agenus common stock at closing, plus milestone payments of up to $35 million in cash and/or stock.
This acquisition gives Agenus the capacity to expediate the development of new cancer vaccines and other single-agent immuno-oncology approaches, as well as combination therapies. And the deal most likely caps a healthy year for Agenus, which closed five transactions totaling more than $20 million.
