EXCLUSIVE – Daiichi Sankyo Weighs Acquisition of Esperion Therapeutics Amid Strategic Shift to Global LDL Leadership – Sources
April 23 (Rumors) – Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd (4568.T) is reviewing a potential acquisition of U.S.-based Esperion Therapeutics Inc (ESPR.O), according to people familiar with the matter, as the company eyes global leadership in the next wave of LDL-lowering therapies.
Sources say Daiichi sees an immediate opportunity to acquire Esperion at a significant discount to its intrinsic value, which analysts estimate at approximately $990 million after debt — compared to its current public market capitalization of just $194 million.
Appelhans Driving Internal Support
Oliver Appelhans, Head of the Specialty Business Unit at Daiichi Sankyo Europe, is said to be spearheading internal advocacy for the deal, arguing that Esperion’s triple combination pill — combining bempedoic acid, ezetimibe, and a statin — is a potential category-defining therapy in LDL-C lowering, particularly for the growing population of statin-intolerant patients.
Sources say Appelhans believes Esperion is not only undervalued, but also uniquely positioned to become the go-to oral therapy in cardiovascular prevention, if backed with Daiichi’s commercial scale and regulatory muscle.
Esperion’s R&D Day Could Be a Valuation Catalyst
Tensions around the timing of a potential deal are said to be rising ahead of Esperion’s upcoming R&D Day, where the company is expected to unveil expanded pipeline applications for bempedoic acid, including potential indications in metabolic, inflammatory, and other chronic diseases.
Insiders warn that once these programs are disclosed, Esperion’s strategic value may become more widely recognized — potentially attracting interest from other pharma companies or institutional investors.
Esperion–Eversana Partnership in the Works
Adding to the strategic equation, Esperion is rumored to be in advanced discussions with Eversana, a leading commercial services provider, to handle product delivery and commercialization logistics in the U.S. Sources say the deal could significantly expand Esperion’s operational reach and further de-risk its go-to-market infrastructure, making the company even more attractive to a strategic buyer like Daiichi.
“The Eversana angle shows Esperion is serious about scaling,” one source familiar with the talks said. “If Daiichi moves now, they’re buying not just a molecule — they’re buying a ready-to-run machine.”
Asia Opportunity via Otsuka
Esperion also holds a licensing agreement with Otsuka Holdings (4578.T) in Japan, which gives Daiichi an opening to negotiate Asian supply or co-commercialization rights post-acquisition. Control over both supply chain and IP could accelerate Daiichi’s expansion across Asia, particularly in Japan and South Korea.
No Comment From the Companies
Discussions are understood to be in the exploratory phase, and both Daiichi Sankyo and Esperion declined to comment on market rumors. However, multiple sources close to the situation say internal alignment is building and that Daiichi may look to act before Esperion’s R&D Day alters market dynamics.
If the deal proceeds, it would mark one of Daiichi’s most high-impact M&A moves since its expansion into oncology and specialty medicine, positioning the company to lead globally in the next generation of lipid-lowering therapeutics.
April 23 (Rumors) – Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd (4568.T) is reviewing a potential acquisition of U.S.-based Esperion Therapeutics Inc (ESPR.O), according to people familiar with the matter, as the company eyes global leadership in the next wave of LDL-lowering therapies.
Sources say Daiichi sees an immediate opportunity to acquire Esperion at a significant discount to its intrinsic value, which analysts estimate at approximately $990 million after debt — compared to its current public market capitalization of just $194 million.
Appelhans Driving Internal Support
Oliver Appelhans, Head of the Specialty Business Unit at Daiichi Sankyo Europe, is said to be spearheading internal advocacy for the deal, arguing that Esperion’s triple combination pill — combining bempedoic acid, ezetimibe, and a statin — is a potential category-defining therapy in LDL-C lowering, particularly for the growing population of statin-intolerant patients.
Sources say Appelhans believes Esperion is not only undervalued, but also uniquely positioned to become the go-to oral therapy in cardiovascular prevention, if backed with Daiichi’s commercial scale and regulatory muscle.
Esperion’s R&D Day Could Be a Valuation Catalyst
Tensions around the timing of a potential deal are said to be rising ahead of Esperion’s upcoming R&D Day, where the company is expected to unveil expanded pipeline applications for bempedoic acid, including potential indications in metabolic, inflammatory, and other chronic diseases.
Insiders warn that once these programs are disclosed, Esperion’s strategic value may become more widely recognized — potentially attracting interest from other pharma companies or institutional investors.
Esperion–Eversana Partnership in the Works
Adding to the strategic equation, Esperion is rumored to be in advanced discussions with Eversana, a leading commercial services provider, to handle product delivery and commercialization logistics in the U.S. Sources say the deal could significantly expand Esperion’s operational reach and further de-risk its go-to-market infrastructure, making the company even more attractive to a strategic buyer like Daiichi.
“The Eversana angle shows Esperion is serious about scaling,” one source familiar with the talks said. “If Daiichi moves now, they’re buying not just a molecule — they’re buying a ready-to-run machine.”
Asia Opportunity via Otsuka
Esperion also holds a licensing agreement with Otsuka Holdings (4578.T) in Japan, which gives Daiichi an opening to negotiate Asian supply or co-commercialization rights post-acquisition. Control over both supply chain and IP could accelerate Daiichi’s expansion across Asia, particularly in Japan and South Korea.
No Comment From the Companies
Discussions are understood to be in the exploratory phase, and both Daiichi Sankyo and Esperion declined to comment on market rumors. However, multiple sources close to the situation say internal alignment is building and that Daiichi may look to act before Esperion’s R&D Day alters market dynamics.
If the deal proceeds, it would mark one of Daiichi’s most high-impact M&A moves since its expansion into oncology and specialty medicine, positioning the company to lead globally in the next generation of lipid-lowering therapeutics.