Neurocrine Nears $2.5B Deal to Acquire Soleno Therapeutics

Neurocrine Biosciences is nearing a definitive agreement to acquire Soleno Therapeutics in a deal valuing the biotech firm at upwards of $2.5 billion, according to the Financial Times. The all-cash transaction would bolster Neurocrine's rare disease pipeline with Soleno's sole commercial product, a therapy for Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a genetic disorder characterized by hyperphagia—an extreme, insatiable hunger. Soleno's drug, which is the first and only approved treatment for this core symptom of PWS, represents a significant innovation in a market with high unmet need. The acquisition would provide Neurocrine, known for its neuroscience and endocrinology portfolio, with an immediate commercial revenue stream and a strategic foothold in the PWS therapeutic area. The FT report, citing people familiar with the matter, indicates the deal could be announced in the coming days, subject to final negotiations.