Alexion plans to acquire Achillion

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, the maker of eculizumab (Soliris®) and ravulizumab (Ultomiris®), has reached an agreement with Achillion Pharmaceuticals to provide the smaller biopharmaceutical company for approximately $ 930 million (equivalent to approximately € 840 million) take over. If Achillion shareholders and regulators agree , the transaction is expected to be completed within the second half of 2020. There should be no delays in the course of the clinical studies.

Achillion has, among other things, developed a factor D inhibitor that can be used in the alternative path of the complement system against extravascular hemolysis . It is therefore particularly helpful for patients with PNH for whom the currently available C5 complement inhibitors (see above) are not sufficiently effective. The inhibitor is taken orally (tablet or capsule) and is currently in phase 2 of clinical trials.