Key Takeaways Alkermes will acquire Avadel for up to $20 per share in a cash deal valued at $2.1 billion.The acquisition will grant Alkermes access to Lumryz, a fast-growing therapy for narcolepsy.The deal supports Alkermes' orexin program and entry into the high-growth sleep medicine market.Alkermes plc (ALKS) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ireland-based Avadel Pharmaceuticals (AVDL) in a deal valued at up to $20.00 per share in cash, representing a total transaction v ...

Alkermes has agreed to acquire Avadel Pharmaceuticals for up to $20 per share in cash, valuing Avadel at $2.1bn. The acquisition expedites the entry of Alkermes into the sleep medicine sector. The transaction received approval from the board of directors of both companies and will conclude in the first quarter of 2026. It will add Avadel’s US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapy, Lumryz (sodium oxybate), to Alkermes’ commercial portfolio. The therapy is used to treat cataplexy or excessi ...

Proposed Acquisition of Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc October 22, 2025 NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION This presentation is for information purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance ...

This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. Brain drug developer Alkermes could spend billions of dollars in a new deal that, if completed, would give the company a marketed medication to build out its burgeoning sleep business. Alkermes on Wednesday said it has agreed to purchase Ireland-based Avadel Pharmaceuticals for $18.50 per share, reflecting a 3.5% premium to the latter company’s closing share pr ...

Upgrades Summary - Rothschild & Co Redburn upgraded Kenvue (KVUE) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $22, down from $22.50, citing a more measured response from the Health and Human Services department regarding Tylenol usage concerns [2] - Rosenblatt upgraded Ciena (CIEN) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $175, up from $127.50, following an innovation day that highlighted opportunities to network multiple AI data centers [2] - Citi upgraded Riot Platforms (RIOT) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $24, up from $13.75, due to the company's transition to AI and high-performance computing [2] - JPMorgan also upgraded Riot Platforms to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $19, up from $15 [2] - Goldman Sachs upgraded Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) to Neutral from Sell with a price target of $65, up from $45, noting the company's transition to a commercial growth story [2] - RBC Capital upgraded Alkermes (ALKS) to Outperform from Sector Perform with a price target of $44, up from $42, based on positive analysis of potential narcolepsy type 2 treatment effects for alixorexton [2]

Core Points - Alkermes plc held a conference call to discuss the results of the Vibrance-1 Phase II study of alixorexton in patients with narcolepsy type 1 [2] Group 1 - The conference call featured key executives including the CEO Richard Pops and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Craig Hopkinson, along with the lead investigator Professor Giuseppe Plazzi [2] - A press release and slide presentation related to the study results were made available on the Investors section of alkermes.com [2]

Core Insights - Alkermes plc reported earnings from continuing operations of 52 cents per share for Q2 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 41 cents and slightly down from 53 cents in the same quarter last year [1] - Total revenues for the second quarter were $390.7 million, a decrease of 2.1% year-over-year, primarily due to lower manufacturing and royalty revenues, but still exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $339 million [1][6] Financial Performance - Proprietary product sales increased by 14% year-over-year to $307.2 million, driven by strong demand for Vivitrol, Aristada, and Lybalvi, exceeding management's expectations of $260-$280 million [4][6] - Manufacturing and royalty revenues fell by 35.8% year-over-year to $83.4 million, negatively impacting overall revenue performance [6][8] - Research and development expenses rose by nearly 30% year-over-year to $77.4 million, attributed to higher costs related to ongoing studies for the investigational pipeline candidate, alixorexton [9] Product Sales Breakdown - Vivitrol sales grew by 9% year-over-year to $121.7 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $111 million [7] - Aristada sales increased by 18% year-over-year to $101.3 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $84 million [7] - Lybalvi generated sales of $84.3 million, up 18% year-over-year, also beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $79 million [8] Guidance and Future Outlook - Alkermes reiterated its 2025 financial guidance, expecting total revenues between $1.34 billion and $1.43 billion, with specific net sales targets for Vivitrol, Aristada, and Lybalvi [11] - The company is planning to initiate a global phase III program for alixorexton in patients with narcolepsy type 1 following positive results from the phase II Vibrance-1 study [12][14] Pipeline Development - The phase II Vibrance-1 study showed statistically significant improvements in wakefulness for patients treated with alixorexton compared to placebo [13] - Alixorexton is also being studied for narcolepsy type 2 and idiopathic hypersomnia, with data from the Vibrance-2 study expected in the fall [15][16]

Core Insights - Alkermes (ALKS) announced positive top-line data from the phase II Vibrance-1 study for its oral orexin 2 receptor agonist, alixorexton, aimed at treating narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) [1][8] - The study demonstrated statistically significant improvements in wakefulness and excessive daytime sleepiness compared to placebo [2][3] - The 6 mg dose of alixorexton was the only one to achieve statistical significance in reducing weekly cataplexy rates, which may have negatively impacted investor sentiment [4] Study Results - Alixorexton treatment across all doses showed a dose-dependent improvement in wakefulness on the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), the primary endpoint of the study [2] - Statistically significant improvements in excessive daytime sleepiness were observed at week six on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a key secondary endpoint [3] - The 6 mg dose was the only one to achieve statistical significance in improving weekly cataplexy rates, another key secondary endpoint [4] Safety and Tolerability - Treatment with alixorexton was generally safe and well-tolerated across all doses [5] Future Development Plans - Alkermes plans to initiate a global phase III trial for alixorexton in patients with NT1, building on the success of the Vibrance-1 study [9][10] - Alixorexton is also being studied for narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH), with ongoing phase II studies [11][12] Competitive Landscape - Upon potential approval, alixorexton may face competition from Axsome's Sunosi (solriamfetol), which is already marketed for narcolepsy treatment [13] - Other drugs from Jazz Pharmaceuticals, such as Xyrem and Xywav, also hold significant market share in the sleep disorder segment [14]