GSK agreed to acquire Bay Area biotech Rapt Therapeutics for $2.2 billion, taking rights to ozureprubart outside China and accelerating its entry into food-allergy therapeutics. The deal, announced Jan. 20, pays $58 per share—about 39% above Friday’s close—and positions GSK to pursue a phase‑3 program after a phase‑2 readout expected in 2027. Tony Wood, GSK’s CSO, said the antibody could offer 12‑week dosing versus more frequent Xolair injections. Rapt licensed ozureprubart from China’s Jemincare and had been testing the anti‑IgE candidate in phase 2b as a prophylactic against allergic reactions in the U.S., Canada and Australia. GSK acquires ex‑China rights; Jemincare retains rights in China. The transaction signals Big Pharma appetite for next‑generation biologics that target validated immunology pathways with potential convenience advantages. Why it matters: the purchase accelerates GSK’s allergy pipeline and underscores major pharma willingness to pay for differentiated dosing and established mechanisms in an area with clear unmet need and a validated target.