Rare disease drug company Horizon Therapeutics, maker of eye disease drugs Tepezza and Uplizna, will be acquired by Amgen in a deal valued at approximately US$28 billion.
Amgen said the purchase of the Dublin-based company is expected to close in the first half of this year.
…the purchase of the Dublin-based company is expected to close in the first half of this year
Tepezza (teprotumumab-trbw) is used for the treatment of people with thyroid eye disease (TED), a rare disorder in which the fatty tissues and muscles behind the eyes become inflamed, pushing the eyes forward and outwards.
Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon) is used for treating adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease (NMOSD). The monotherapy drug is the first and only B cell-depleting antibody approved for the disease.
In a news release announcing the deal, Amgen Chairman and CEO Robert A. Bradway said there was a “compelling strategic and financial rationale” for the acquisition of Horizon by Amgen.
He said “Amgen’s decades of leadership in inflammation and nephrology, combined with our global presence and world-class biologics capabilities” will enable many more patients to receive “first-in-class medicines” like Tepezza and Uplizna.
He said potential new medicines in Horizon’s pipeline would strongly complement Amgen’s own research and development portfolio.
