Supernus plays depression medication on $795 million Sage Buyout
Less than five months after rejecting Biogen’s acquisition approach, Sage Therapeutics found a buyer for Supernus Pharmaceuticals.
According to the deal, the supermarket will pay up to $795 million to obtain depression treatment expert Sage. The contract value significantly overturned the $469 million offered by Biogen in January 2025. This is a proposal that was quickly rejected by Sage.
The transaction has been approved by the boards of both U.S. headquarters and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025.
Sage’s share price surged 26% in the US market opening after it was announced on June 16th, while Supernus shares rose 1%.
In a statement, the two biotechnology said sage is a “strong fit to existing supernova infrastructure.” Supernus has approved the product in the US, particularly for treating Parkinson’s disease and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Supernus has acquired all of Sage’s stakes at a price of $8.50 each, adding up its first $561 million. Depending on the sales and commercial milestones of Sage’s flagship product Zurzuvae (Zuranolone), an additional $3.50 per share will be added to the transaction, resulting in a potential trading value of $795 million.
Zurzuvae is the only one whose ownership is currently transferred to a supermarket US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pills Treat postnatal depression. This acquisition gives the supermarket a dominant position in the market.
Zurzuvae was developed in collaboration with Biogen to win $306.1 million in sales in 2024 and $13.8 million in the first quarter of 2025.
Following the 2020 agreement, Biogen has an exclusive license to develop and commercialize Zurzuvae outside the US except in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Sage, and now supermarkets retain US rights.
Analysis by Pharmaceutical TechnologyParent company GlobalData predicts that US sales of the drug will reach $290 million by 2031.
Sage struggled at the end of last year after failing a series of mid-term clinical trials. company As a result, 55% of the R&D team were firedinstead, prioritizes the commercial launch of Zurzuvae.
Supernus CEO Jack Khattar said: “(Acquisition) will enhance our growth profile by adding a crucial fourth growth product to our portfolio, further diversifying the causes of future growth. Zurzuvae is focused on acquiring new value-added and clinically differentiated drugs to treat central nervous system conditions.”
“We have a strong track record of commercial execution and look forward to building on Zurzuvae’s US growth momentum and collaboration with Biogen.