Novo Nordisk announced that it has agreed to acquire Akero Therapeutics in a deal worth up to $5.2 billion, strengthening its position in the treatment of liver diseases. The acquisition will give the Danish pharmaceutical giant access to Akero’s promising experimental therapy for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a progressive form of fatty liver disease.
Under the terms of the agreement, Novo will pay Akero shareholders $54 per share in cash, representing a 16.2% premium over Akero’s last closing price of $46.49 on Wednesday. In addition, shareholders will receive an extra $6 per share upon full U.S. approval of efruxifermin—Akero’s lead drug candidate—for the treatment of compensated cirrhosis due to MASH by June 30, 2031, the companies said. Following the announcement, Akero’s shares surged more than 19% in premarket trading.
The acquisition aligns with Novo Nordisk’s strategic focus on cardiometabolic diseases. “The maker of blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy is pressing ahead with a sweeping restructuring in a bid to revive sales growth and fend off intense competition from U.S. rival Eli Lilly,” the company noted.
Novo’s new CEO, Mike Doustdar, who took over in July, has been steering the company through significant transformation. Last month, he announced a plan to cut 9,000 jobs as part of a broader restructuring effort. Doustdar emphasized that Novo would “retain a tight focus on developing the next generation of highly effective obesity and diabetes drugs, which can also be used to treat related cardiometabolic conditions such as MASH, rather than expanding into other disease areas.”
Akero’s investigational therapy, efruxifermin, is currently being evaluated in patients with severe liver scarring or cirrhosis resulting from MASH. The acquisition reinforces Novo Nordisk’s commitment to expanding its leadership in metabolic and liver-related diseases through advanced therapeutics and innovation.
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