Alexion to acquire Achillion

Alexion and Achillion have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Alexion to acquire Achillion.

Achillion is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of oral small molecule Factor D inhibitors to treat people with complement alternative pathway-mediated rare diseases, such as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and C3 glomerulopathy.

“Alexion has demonstrated the transformative impact that inhibiting C5 can have on multiple rare and devastating diseases. However, we believe this is just the beginning of what’s possible with complement inhibition,” said Ludwig Hantson, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Alexion.

“We have established great momentum – discovering and advancing several small molecules into clinical development that have the potential to treat immune-related diseases associated with the alternative pathway of the complement system,” said Joe Truitt, President and Chief Executive Officer at Achillion.

press release from Alexion
press release from Achillion