Vertex agrees to pay $4.9 billion for kidney disease drugmaker

• It also reflects surging industry interest in immunotherapies.

By the numbers: Vertex will pay $65 per Alpine share, which represents a 67% premium over Tuesday's closing price, with the deal expected to close in Q2.

• Alpine could be required to pay a $173 million termination fee.

Go deeper, per Stat News: "The acquisition gives Vertex a drug called povetacicept, which has shown promise in treating IgA nephropathy (IgAN), an autoimmune disorder of the kidney that can lead to end-stage renal disease and affects 130,000 people in the U.S. The drug will enter Phase 3 clinical development in the second half of the year."