Servier to Acquire Edgewise Muscular Dystrophy Business for up to $2.65 Billion

Servier to Acquire Edgewise Muscular Dystrophy Business for up to $2.65 Billion

Rare Daily Staff

Servier has agreed to acquire the muscular dystrophy business of Edgewise Therapeutics in a deal valued at up to $2.65 billion, strengthening the French drugmaker’s push into rare neurological diseases.

The transaction includes an upfront payment of $1.55 billion and up to $1.1 billion in regulatory and commercial milestone payments. The deal has been approved by both companies’ boards and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory clearance and customary conditions.

The acquisition centers on sevasemten, an experimental oral therapy designed to protect muscle from contraction-induced damage. The drug is currently being studied in a pivotal trial for Becker muscular dystrophy and in a phase 2 trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Becker muscular dystrophy is a rare genetic disorder marked by progressive muscle degeneration, with no approved therapies currently available. Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a more severe and more common form, typically leads to loss of ambulation in early adolescence and has a median life expectancy of around 30 years.

Servier said the deal advances its Servier 2030 strategy to expand in neurology, particularly in rare diseases with high unmet need. The company will also acquire associated capabilities and expertise from Edgewise’s muscular dystrophy program.

“This acquisition is a key step forward in building our presence in neuromuscular disorders,” said Olivier Laureau, Servier’s president. “Our goal is to bring targeted therapies to patients living with severe and debilitating rare diseases, where treatment options remain extremely limited.”

Edgewise CEO Kevin Koch said the agreement positions the program for continued advancement under Servier’s global development infrastructure.

Servier has been expanding its neuroscience portfolio in recent years, targeting conditions including refractory epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders, movement disorders, and neuromuscular diseases.

If successful, sevasemten could become a first-in-class therapy and a cornerstone asset in Servier’s growing rare neurology pipeline.

Photo: Edgewise CEO Kevin Koch