Pharma BD Deal Intelligence

Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. / Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

2019 · Acquisition/Merger · $1.2B · Complete

Outcome grade pending — assessed 5 years post-close.

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The coverage arc

Oct 16, 2019 BioPharma Dive Neutral

Analysts flagged FTC scrutiny risk given the overlap between Alexion's complement franchise and Achillion's pipeline, but viewed the oral Factor D mechanism as…

Oct 16, 2019 GEN Bullish

The acquisition expands Alexion's rare-disease portfolio with first-generation oral Factor D danicopan plus a next-gen follow-on, addressing residual…

Apr 01, 2024 OncLive Bullish

FDA approved Voydeya (danicopan) as an add-on to ravulizumab or eculizumab for adults with PNH and clinically significant extravascular hemolysis, validating…

Source summaries from our enrichment pipeline; follow links for originals.

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Alexion acquired Achillion for $6.30 per share (~$930M initial cash consideration) plus non-tradeable CVRs of up to $2.00 per share — $1.00 on FDA approval of danicopan and $1.00 on ACH-5228 (danicopan follow-on) Phase 3 initiation (~$300M maximum). The deal added Achillion's oral Factor D inhibitor portfolio targeting complement-mediated rare diseases (PNH, C3 glomerulopathy) and closed January 28, 2020. The thesis was validated: the FDA approved the lead asset, danicopan (Voydeya), on March 29, 2024 as an add-on to ravulizumab or eculizumab for clinically significant extravascular hemolysis in adults with PNH. By then Alexion had itself been acquired by AstraZeneca (completed July 21, 2021), so Voydeya commercialized under AstraZeneca's Alexion Rare Disease unit.

Did it work? Outcome assessment

Strategic verdict
Partially Achieved
Financial impact
Impaired/Written Down
Pipeline outcome
Mixed

Key facts

Related deals — scored

DealYearValueOutcome
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. / Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (this deal)2019$1.2B
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. / Synageva BioPharma2015$8.4B36
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. / Wilson Therapeutics AB2018$855M20
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. / Syntimmune, Inc.2018$1.2B14
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. / Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.2020$1.4B
Horizon Pharma plc / Crealta Holdings LLC2015$510M87
Novartis AG / Chinook Therapeutics Inc.2023$3.5B78

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