Lundbeck acquires Alder BioPharma

Following the 2018 $1b acquisition of Prexton Therapeutics and foliglurax for Parkinson’s disease, and the purchase of Abide Therapeutics for $400m earlier in 2019, together with its mid-stage ABX-1431 for Tourette’s syndrome, Lundbeck has now bought Alder BioPharma for $1.95bn, offering $18 per share, plus a further $2 if Alder’s intravenous migraine prevention drug eptinezumab is granted EMA approval post filing in 2020. Alder’s CGRP inhibitor is administered every three months, and the company believes the rapid onset of this alternative option could be a key differentiating factor, with a statement from Lundbeck saying eptinezumab provides “immediate and complete bioavailability with high specificity and strong binding for suppression of…CGRP”.
Chief Executive Officer of Lundbeck, Deborah Dunsire, said Alder is “an excellent strategic fit for Lundbeck’s focused expertise in brain diseases and organisational capabilities”.