Kirkland & Ellis LLP

10/09/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/09/2025 11:19

Kirkland Advises Akero Therapeutics on $5.2 Billion Sale to Novo Nordisk

Kirkland & Ellis advised Akero Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKRO), a clinical-stage company developing transformational treatments for patients with serious metabolic diseases marked by high unmet medical need, on a definitive agreement to be acquired by Novo Nordisk A/S for up to $5.2 billion in cash. Under the terms of the agreement, Akero shareholders will receive $54.00 per share in cash at closing and a non-transferable contingent value right (CVR). Each CVR will entitle its holder to receive a cash payment of $6.00 per share upon full U.S. regulatory approval of efruxifermin for treatment of compensated cirrhosis due to MASH by June 30, 2031. The transaction has been unanimously approved by Akero's Board of Directors and is expected to close around year-end, subject to approval by Akero shareholders and upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions including approvals by regulatory authorities.

Read the transaction press release

The Kirkland team included corporate lawyers Graham Robinson, Laura Knoll, Chadé Severin, Benjamin Jiang, Greg Schuster, Kevin Perron, Adam Hustad, Zohra Yaqhubi, Eric Solomine and Matthew Kelly; antitrust & competition lawyers Maria Raptis, Thomas Sebastian Wilson, Margarita Karkantzou and Joel Gory; tax lawyers Rachel Malhiet, Dean Shulman, Benjamin Schreiner and Grant Perkins; employment & labor lawyers Mari Stonebraker and Kaitlyn Hodgman; debt finance lawyers Jason Serlenga and Jeff Feldmann; healthcare regulatory lawyers Dennis Williams, Will Richmond and Brian King; litigation lawyers Stefan Atkinson, Alyssa Scruggs, Ava Roche and Zachary Brez; CFIUS lawyers John Kabealo and Bryan Applefeld; executive compensation lawyers Tim Nelson and Mei Wang; capital markets lawyer Ann Becchina; ERISA lawyers Justin Coddington and Ethan Kirner; and technology & IP transactions lawyers Shellie Freedman, Amber Harezlak and Molly Mahowald.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP published this content on October 09, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 09, 2025 at 17:19 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]