Jazz Pharmaceuticals to Acquire Actio Biosciences for $820 Million
Jazz Pharmaceuticals will acquire Actio Biosciences for $820 million in upfront cash, expanding its pipeline of treatments for rare epilepsies. The deal centers on Actio’s lead drug, ABS-1230, an oral precision therapy for epilepsy associated with KCNT1 mutations. Early clinical-trial data have shown promise, and the drug was recently selected for a U.S. Food and Drug Administration pathway for therapies targeting ultra-rare diseases. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for KCNT1 mutation-associated epilepsy. Jazz will also pay up to an additional $500 million in contingent consideration if sales targets or drug-approval milestones are achieved. “ABS-1230’s initial clinical profile is encouraging,” Jazz President and Chief Executive Officer Renee Gala said in a statement Monday. “We look forward to completing the acquisition and working with the Actio team to address the urgent clinical needs of these patients.” Dublin-based Jazz Pharmaceuticals has a pipeline spanning rare oncology, sleep disorders and rare epilepsy. Under the transaction terms, Actio’s non-epilepsy research programs will be separated into a new privately held company focused on rare inherited neurological diseases. Jazz will hold a minority stake in the new company. The boards of both companies have approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The deal centers on Actio’s lead drug, ABS-1230, an oral precision therapy for epilepsy associated with KCNT1 mutations. Early clinical-trial data have shown promise, and the drug was recently selected for a U.S. Food and Drug Administration pathway for therapies targeting ultra-rare diseases. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for KCNT1 mutation-associated epilepsy.
Jazz will also pay up to an additional $500 million in contingent consideration if sales targets or drug-approval milestones are achieved.
“ABS-1230’s initial clinical profile is encouraging,” Jazz President and Chief Executive Officer Renee Gala said in a statement Monday. “We look forward to completing the acquisition and working with the Actio team to address the urgent clinical needs of these patients.”
Dublin-based Jazz Pharmaceuticals has a pipeline spanning rare oncology, sleep disorders and rare epilepsy. Under the transaction terms, Actio’s non-epilepsy research programs will be separated into a new privately held company focused on rare inherited neurological diseases. Jazz will hold a minority stake in the new company.
The boards of both companies have approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.