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16 Dec 2025

Bird & Bird advises Orphalan on acquisition of Orphelia Pharma

"Bird & Bird advised Orphalan in its acquisition of Orphelia Pharma, with Jones Day advising Orphelia Pharma. The transaction will integrate Orphelia’s paediatric neurology and oncology assets (including Kigabeq® and Kizfiko®/Kimozo®) into Orphalan, complementing Orphalan’s orphan‑drug portfolio (including Cuprior®) and expanding global commercial reach."

Bird & Bird advised Orphalan, and Jones Day advised Orphelia Pharma on the transaction. The transaction concerns the acquisition by Orphalan, a company specialised in the development and commercialization of orphan drugs, of Orphelia Pharma, a French firm focused on severe and rare paediatric diseases in neurology and oncology. Orphalan, founded in 2011 from a collaboration between the Agence générale des équipements et produits de santé and Lariboisière Hospital, commercialises Cuprior®, a treatment for Wilson disease. Cuprior® is authorised in 38 countries and sold in 28 markets. Orphalan pursues an objective of reducing diagnostic delays and improving patient access to innovative treatments for rare diseases. Orphelia Pharma, based in Paris and Lyon, holds a medicine authorised in Europe since 2018, Kigabeq®, a paediatric antiepileptic. The company is also developing Kizfiko®/Kimozo®, which benefited from an early access pathway in France for the treatment of a high‑risk form of neuroblastoma in children between 2022 and 2025. Following completion of the transaction, Orphelia Pharma will be fully integrated into Orphalan. The acquisition is intended to create a unified platform combining scientific excellence and global commercialisation capabilities, accelerating innovation and improving worldwide access to treatments. For Orphalan, the operation represents an opportunity to strengthen its orphan‑drug portfolio and broaden its expertise in rare paediatric diseases, consolidating its position in the development and commercialisation of innovative treatments for patients with rare conditions. Bird & Bird represented Orphalan with a team composed by: Olivier Peronnau, partner, and Céline Sol, associate. Jones Day represented Orphelia Pharma with a team composed by: Geoffroy Pineau‑Valencienne and Guillaume Bonhoure.
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