France's Ipsen SA signed a licensing deal with Blueprint Medicines Corp. to develop and commercialize the latter's rare bone disease drug BLU-782.

The agreement expands Ipsen's rare diseases portfolio and supports Blueprint's goal to rapidly develop BLU-782, the companies said.

Cambridge, Mass.-based Blueprint Medicines is evaluating BLU-782 as a potential treatment of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, or FOP, an ultra-rare inherited disease that causes bone to grow outside the skeleton, in tendons, muscle and soft tissue. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration already granted BLU-782 rare pediatric disease, orphan drug and fast track designations.

Under the deal, Blueprint Medicines will receive $25 million cash up front from Ipsen. Additionally, the company will receive up to $510 million in potential milestone payments, subject to achievement of specified development, regulatory and sales-based milestones for licensed products in up to two indications, including FOP.

French drugmaker Ipsen entered the agreement through its Clementia Pharmaceuticals Inc. unit, which it acquired for $1.31 billion in April.