AbbVie has completed its $8.7-billion acquisition of Cerevel Therapeutics a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based bio/pharmaceutical company focused on neuroscience-based therapies. The companies had announced the deal last December (December 2023).  

Cerevel has a pipeline of multiple clinical-stage and preclinical candidates with potential across several diseases, including schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and mood disorders.   

A key clinical product is emraclidine, an antipsychotic being evaluated in Phase Ib/II studies for treating schizophrenia. The drug is also being is also being evaluated for treating dementia-related psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Emraclidine is currently in a Phase I study in elderly healthy volunteers in support of a potential Alzheimer’s disease psychosis program.  

Cerevel has multiple clinical assets that are complementary to AbbVie’s priority areas within neuroscience. Tavapadon, a drug for the management of Parkinson’s disease, is currently in Phase III studies and has potential as both a monotherapy and adjunctive treatment. CVL-354, currently in Phase I, is a drug for treating major depressive disorder. Darigabat, currently in Phase II, is a drug for treatment-resistant epilepsy and panic disorder.    

Source: AbbVie