Alkermes to acquire Rodin Therapeutics.

Alkermes plc and Rodin Therapeutics, Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Alkermes will acquire Rodin, a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel, small molecule therapeutics for synaptopathies. This transaction builds on Alkermes� experience in central nervous system (CNS) diseases and expands Alkermes� CNS development efforts into a wide range of neurodegenerative disorders. Rodin has been working to develop first-in-class, orally-available, brain-permeable therapeutics for synaptopathies by designing molecules that target specific histone deacetylase (HDAC) complexes. Selective inhibition of the HDAC?co-repressor of repressor element-1 silencing transcription factor (CoREST) complex is believed to reactivate neuronal gene expression, strengthen existing synapses and promote the creation of new synapses, while minimizing known class-based hematologic safety concerns.