France-based Servier has entered into an agreement to acquire Edgewise Therapeutics’ muscular dystrophy business for up to $2.65 billion.
The deal, which includes an upfront payment of $1.55 billion as well as up to $1.1 billion in regulatory and commercial milestone payments, centers around Edgewise’s sevasemten, an orally administered first-in-class fast skeletal myosin inhibitor designed to preserve and protect unstable muscle against contraction-induced damage in individuals living with rare muscular dystrophy.
Sevasemten is currently being investigated in a pivotal cohort in Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), and in a phase 2 trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). BMD is a rare inherited disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and loss, often making everyday activities such as walking increasingly difficult. There are currently no approved treatments, and muscle loss cannot be reversed. A related condition, DMD, is a more severe form that begins in childhood and leads to rapid muscle degeneration. Most patients lose the ability to walk by their early teens, and the disease is associated with a significantly shortened life expectancy, with a median survival of about 30 years.
The transaction has been approved by both companies’ respective governance bodies and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.