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Lundbeck announced this week that it will acquire Longboard Pharmaceuticals in a $2.6 billion deal, picking up the epilepsy drug bexicaserin in the process.

The move — the largest to date for the Danish biotech — is part of its overall strategy to develop a neuro-rare disease franchise, it said.

The focus is on bexicaserin, an oral 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C (5-HT2C) receptor superagonist that targets Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies (DEEs), a group of severe epilepsies marked by seizures and developmental delays.

Bexicaserin won breakthrough therapy designation from the Food and Drug Administration earlier this year and Lundbeck said the asset holds blockbuster potential in treating DEEs.

That breakthrough therapy designation was based on the accumulation of data showing bexicaserin’s anti-seizure effects. 

In January, Longboard released topline results from a Phase 1b/2a study showing the treatment reduced the median seizure rate by 53.3% across DEEs. Specifically, it decreased seizures by 72% in Dravet syndrome and 48% in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

In September, Longboard launched a global Phase 3 trial called DEEp SEA to examine the drug in treatment of seizures.

Lundbeck CEO Charl van Zyl called the acquisition “transformative” in a statement, adding that Longboard and its assets will become a cornerstone in Lundbeck’s neuro-rare franchise, with a potential to drive growth into the next decade.

“Bexicaserin addresses a critical unmet need for patients suffering from rare and severe epilepsies, for which there are very few good treatment options available,” van Zyl said. “With this acquisition, we continue to execute on our Focused Innovator strategy, transforming the lives of patients suffering from severe brain disorders.”

Lundbeck said it expects to launch bexicaserin in 2028, with a goal of reaching peak global sales of up to $2 billion from the lead candidate.

Meanwhile, Longboard CEO Kevin Lind underscored his belief that the acquisition will accelerate the organization’s vision to provide increased equity and access for underserved DEE patients with significant unmet medical needs.

After news of the acquisition, Longboard’s shares skyrocketed 51%. Lundbeck said it would offer $60 per share, a rise from the $38.90 that Longboard’s stock was on Friday. The transaction is expected to close at the end of 2024.

Lundbeck, which manufactures migraine treatment Vyepti, rolled out the “Say Yep” campaign earlier this year, which focused on reaching migraine patients by playing on the idea of toxic positivity.