The global biopharmaceutical player Sucampo Pharmaceuticals announced the acquisition of Vtesse. The deal, valued $200 million upfront, will allow Sucampo to increase its focus on specialized diseases with high unmet need and to leverage the focus on orphan and paediatric diseases. The acquisition will also diversify Sucampo’s pipeline of development products with Vtesse’s late stage program in Niemann-Pick Disease Type C1 (NPC-1). VTS-270, which is currently in a pivotal phase 2b/3 trial, has been granted breakthrough therapy designation in the U.S. and orphan designation in both the U.S. and EU. Results from the pivotal trial are expected in mid-2018.