Lundbeck Acquires Alder BioPharmaceuticals for $1.95 Billion to Advance Migraine Antibody Therapies

On September 19, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck announced the acquisition of biopharmaceutical company Alder BioPharmaceuticals (Alder) for $1.95 billion. The transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.

Following the completion of this acquisition, Lundbeck will expand its business by developing new products based on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Furthermore, the company will continue to research and develop therapeutic drugs for brain disorders, providing patients with first-class treatments.

Alder, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Washington State, USA, is a clinical-stage biotechnology and pharmaceutical company. The company develops and commercializes novel antibody therapies based on its proprietary technologies to treat patients with cancer, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory diseases. Alder went public on the NASDAQ Stock Market in the United States in May 2014, under the stock ticker symbol ALDR.

Alder is developing eptinezumab, a preventive medication for adult migraine. This long-acting therapeutic agent requires only a 30-minute intravenous infusion every three months. Eptinezumab is a monoclonal antibody (mAb) with high specificity and bioavailability that inhibits the activity of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). CGRP is a neuropeptide widely distributed throughout the human central, peripheral, and other systems, playing a regulatory and inducible role in migraine.

More than 36 million people in the United States are affected by migraine, the majority of whom are women. The condition can persist for decades and is considered the third leading cause of disability worldwide. Migraine is associated with serious comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, and irritable bowel syndrome, and affects the entire nervous system. If approved by the FDA, eptinezumab would become the fourth CGRP antibody medication targeting migraine globally.

Furthermore, Alder is developing another monoclonal antibody (mAb) drug, ALD1910. This drug inhibits the activity of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) to prevent migraines. The introduction of eptinezumab and ALD1910 will position Lundbeck as an emerging leader in the treatment of migraines and other pain syndromes.

Lundbeck, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Denmark, is a global pharmaceutical company specializing in brain disorders. Leveraging its expertise in neuroscience, Lundbeck develops, manufactures, and distributes medicines for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. The company was listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange in June 2002 under the ticker symbol LUN.

Lundbeck employs approximately 5,500 people in more than 50 countries worldwide. It has established manufacturing facilities in China, Denmark, France, and Italy, and operates drug research and development centers in Denmark and China. Currently, the company’s products are exported to over 100 countries and regions, aiming to improve clinical outcomes for patients with brain disorders globally.

In May this year, Lundbeck acquired the U.S. clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Abide Therapeutics for $250 million.

Alder President and CEO Bob Azelby stated, “Lundbeck boasts a robust network of neurology experts, is a global leader in neuroscience research, and represents an ideal partner. This acquisition will accelerate the development of Alder’s migraine treatments, eptinezumab and ALD1910, and help us explore new antibody therapies.”

(Compiled by Xu Xiaoxue)