ESPR to Boost Cardiovascular Portfolio With Corstasis Buyout for $75M

Esperion Therapeutics ESPR announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Nevada-based, privately held, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, Corstasis Therapeutics, for up to $75 million in cash.

The impending acquisition will add Corstasis’ lead product, Enbumyst (bumetanide nasal spray), to Esperion’s commercial portfolio, which is expected to strengthen and expand the company’s cardiovascular franchise.

Enbumyst is the first and only nasal spray diuretic approved by the FDA for the treatment of edema associated with congestive heart failure (CHF) and hepatic and renal disease in adults.

The transaction is expected to be closed in the second quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

Shares of Esperion were down 11% yesterday following the announcement of the news.

Year to date, shares of Esperion have plunged 21.4% against the industry’s increase of 2%.

ESPR’s Deal Rationale

Per the latest deal, Esperion, through a subsidiary, will acquire all outstanding shares of Corstasis for an upfront payment of $75 million in cash. Corstasis is also eligible to receive up to an additional $180 million if certain regulatory and sales milestones are achieved, along with low double-digit royalties on net sales of Enbumyst.

The deal appears to be a strong strategic fit for Esperion, as it should enhance its cardiovascular platform, broaden its commercial portfolio, and accelerate double-digit revenue growth.

Enbumyst is a differentiated, self-administered outpatient diuretic that can help bridge the gap between oral and IV diuretic therapies for patients with edema related to CHF, liver disease and kidney disease.

Esperion will fund the acquisition using its existing credit facilities and by monetizing its Japanese royalties through funds managed by Athyrium Capital Management and HealthCare Royalty.

ESPR Aims to Boost Cardiovascular Franchise

Esperion has two FDA-approved drugs in its commercial portfolio, Nexletol (bempedoic acid) and Nexlizet, which are approved for treating elevated LDL-C (bad cholesterol) and for cardiovascular risk reduction. Nexlizet is a combination of bempedoic acid and ezetimibe.

These two oral drugs are marketed as Nilemdo and Nustendi in ex-U.S. markets (excluding Japan, where the company has a collaboration with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals) in partnership with Daiichi Sankyo. The company records royalties on sales of its drugs in ex-U.S. markets.

Net product sales of Nexletol and Nexlizet in the United States grew 38% in the first nine months of 2025 to $115.8 million, reflecting increased prescription growth volumes.

Per management, the addition of Enbumyst through the acquisition of Corstasis is likely to help Esperion target a potential market opportunity of more than $4 billion in the United States.

The deal is well aligned with Esperion’s recently introduced Vision 2040.

ESPR's Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Esperion currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the drug/biotech sector are Catalyst Pharmaceuticals CPRX, ANI Pharmaceuticals ANIP and Replimune Group REPL. While Catalyst Pharmaceuticals currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), ANI Pharmaceuticals and Replimune hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Over the past 60 days, estimates for Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ 2026 earnings per share have increased from $2.54 to $2.59, while the same for 2027 have increased from $2.85 to $3.01. CPRX’s shares have risen 2.5% year to date.

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 35.19%.

Over the past 60 days, estimates for ANI Pharmaceuticals’ 2026 earnings per share have increased from $8.08 to $8.22, while the same for 2027 have increased from $9.25 to $9.90. ANIP’s shares have fallen 3.6% year to date.

ANI Pharmaceuticals’ earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 22.21%.

Over the past 60 days, Replimune’s 2026 loss per share estimates have narrowed from $3.59 to $3.41, while the same for 2027 have narrowed from $2.42 to $2.33. REPL’s shares have plunged 26.2% year to date.

Replimune’s earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters and missed on the remaining three occasions, with the average negative surprise being 4.46%.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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