Words by Jade Williams
Lundbeck has agreed to acquire Longboard Pharmaceuticals in a 2.6bn (USD) deal, aiming to strengthen its portfolio with the latter’s potential blockbuster epilepsy treatment.
This acquisition will give Lundbeck access to Longboard’s lead drug candidate, bexicaserin, which is being tested against seizures associated with Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies (DEEs) – a group of severe epilepsy syndromes that affect about 220,000 patients in the US.
The deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024, aligns with Lundbeck’s strategy to expand its neurological portfolio. The Copenhagen-based company already markets treatments for conditions like Parkinson’s disease, migraines and Alzheimer’s disease.
Speaking in a press release, Charl Van Zyl, President and CEO, Lundbeck, said that “this transformative transaction will become a cornerstone in Lundbeck’s neuro-rare franchise, with a potential to drive growth into the next decade”. In addition, he noted that Longboard’s drug “addresses a critical unmet need for patients suffering from rare and severe epilepsies, for which there are very few good treatment options available”.
DEEs are a group of severe early-childhood onset epilepsies, characterised by refractory seizures and developmental delay, representing a significant unmet medical need. By targeting rare neurological diseases, Lundbeck is joining a market where innovative therapies can have life-changing outcomes for patients.
Also speaking in Lundbeck’s press release, Kevin R. Lind, President and CEO, Longboard, said that he is “incredibly proud of what [his] team has achieved” calling the data that Longboard researchers have delivered so far as “groundbreaking”. Lundbeck expects to launch the drug in the fourth quarter of 2028, with predicted peak global sales of between 1.5bn (USD) and 2bn (USD).
