### Sanofi Acquires Blueprint Medicines in $9.5 Billion Deal to Expand Immunology Portfolio

French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has announced its agreement to acquire the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biopharma firm, Blueprint Medicines, for up to $9.5 billion. This acquisition significantly boosted Blueprint Medicines' shares by over 26% during intraday trading, while Sanofi’s stock experienced a minor dip.

The acquisition is a strategic move by Sanofi to enhance its immunology pipeline, gaining access to treatments for systemic mastocytosis (SM), a rare immunological disease. The deal also includes avapritinib, marketed under the names Ayvakit and Ayvakyt, which has already received approval in both the United States and the European Union.

Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson stated that this acquisition represents a significant step forward in expanding the company's rare and immunology disease portfolios. Despite the substantial investment, Hudson emphasized that Sanofi still has the capacity for further acquisitions.

As per the agreement, Sanofi will pay $129.00 per share in cash, totaling up to $9.1 billion, along with potential milestone payments. This follows another recent acquisition by Sanofi, which saw the company purchasing Alzheimer's drug developer Vigil Neuroscience.

The financial impact of this deal is clear: while Sanofi’s share price saw a slight decline, it remains up by 2% year-to-date. On the other hand, Blueprint Medicines entered the week with shares having risen 16%, further inflated by the acquisition news.

This deal underscores Sanofi's ongoing efforts to solidify its position in the field of rare and immunological diseases, marking another milestone in the company's strategic growth trajectory.