Acadia, Neurocrine Could Be Next Takeovers Among Biotech Stocks

• Needham analyst Alan Carr identified Acadia Pharmaceuticals and Neurocrine Biosciences as potential takeover targets among biotech firms, Investor's Business Daily reported Friday.

• "There remains a consistent bias for later-stage companies," Carr remarked, adding "we continue to believe the main driver is the overlap in the supply of biotech companies with lower-risk assets and the disease focus strategy of pharma and big biotech."

• The analyst noted that among 22 potential suitors, 18 have interest in immunotherapy-focused firms, while 17 are seeking companies with central nervous system assets.

• Acadia markets the Parkinson's disease psychosis therapy Nuplazid, while Nuerocrine markets Ingrezza for tardive dyskinesia.

• Carr said that Intercept Pharmaceuticals, which markets the liver disease therapy Ocaliva, could also be targeted in a takeover.

• The analyst explained that of 58 biotechs to be acquired over the last five years, more than half had approved drugs, while 74 percent had generated late-stage data.

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