Pfizer announces acquisition of Anacor

Pfizer has agreed a deal to purchase Anacor Pharmaceuticals in a deal worth around $5.2 billion (3.59 billion pounds).

The deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter of the year, will strengthen the company's inflammation and immunology portfolio, while bolstering near-term revenue growth for the innovative business.

Anacor's flagship asset is crisaborole, a differentiated non-steroidal topical PDE4 inhibitor with anti-inflammatory properties. It is currently under US regulatory review for the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis, commonly referred to as eczema.

It has achieved all of its primary and secondary endpoint goals in its phase III pivotal studies. If approved, Pfizer believes peak year sales for crisaborole have the potential to reach or exceed $2 billion.

Anacor also holds the rights to Kerydin, a topical treatment for onychomycosis marketed in the US by Sandoz.

Albert Bourla, group president of global innovative pharma and global vaccines within Pfizer's oncology and consumer healthcare businesses, said: "We believe the acquisition of Anacor represents an attractive opportunity to address a significant unmet medical need for a large patient population with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis, which currently has few safe topical treatments available."