Chiesi Farmaceutici, a family-owned international pharma company, has completed its $1.25 billion acquisition of rare disease-focused biopharma Amryt Pharma (Nasdaq:AMYT). The companies announced the deal in January and projected it would close in the first half of 2023.
Strengthening Chiesi’s global rare disease focus
Chiesi’s decision to acquire Amryt Pharma is part of a broader trend of increased M&A activity in the pharma sector. In the first few months of 2023, Pfizer, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, and Amgen have also announced significant acquisition plans.
The Chiesi acquisition aims to strengthen Chiesi’s Global Rare Diseases business division. Amryt Pharma’s product portfolio includes three approved commercial products:
- Lojuxta/Juxtapid (lomitapide) for treating homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. This condition involves high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the blood, contributing to premature cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Lomitapide is a microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitor.
- Myalept/ Myalepta (metreleptin) for generalized lipodystrophy. A recombinant analog of human leptin, metreleptin treats subtypes of lipodystrophy, a group of rare disorders characterized by the loss or lack of fat tissue.
- Mycapssa (octreotide) for acromegaly. Octreotide is a synthetic somatostatin analog that mimics the inhibitory actions of the natural hormone somatostatin, playing a role in various physiological processes, such as secreting growth hormone, insulin, and glucagon.
Pipeline product under regulatory review
Amryt’s lead pipeline product, Oleogel-S10 (Filsuvez), is currently under regulatory review in the U.S. and E.U. for treating epidermolysis bullosa.
How Chiesi aims to harness Amryt’s product portfolio for rare diseases
Expanding its reach in rare diseases, Chiesi Global Rare Diseases plans to tap Amryt’s product portfolio and pipeline for various conditions, such as Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, nephropathic cystinosis, alpha-mannosidosis, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, ADA-SCID and Fabry disease .
Chiesi Farmaceutici is a certified B Corp, a measure of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. The company’s B Corp status will likely influence the integration of Amryt Pharma, focusing on patient-centric and sustainable practices.
The company noted in a press release that it would work to ensure that Amryt Pharma’s operations align with its mission and values. This includes prioritizing patient access to treatments, implementing sustainable business practices, and encouraging transparency in reporting and communication.
Chiesi’s recent regulatory win with Lamzede
Earlier this year, Chiesi Farmaceutici achieved a regulatory win in the U.S. with Lamzede (velmanase alfa), an enzyme replacement therapy acquired in its 2013 acquisition of Zymenex. The FDA approved the drug for treating non-central nervous system manifestations of alpha-mannosidosis (AM), an ultra-rare, progressive lysosomal storage disorder. Lamzede is the first enzyme replacement therapy for this inherited condition. The drug’s indication covers both adults and children.