Esperion has settled patent litigation with Alkem, preventing generic NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET sales until April 2040.
Quiver AI Summary
Esperion announced a settlement agreement with Alkem Laboratories Ltd. to resolve patent litigation concerning Alkem's attempts to market generic versions of Esperion's cholesterol medications, NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET. Under the terms of the settlement, Alkem cannot launch these generic drugs in the U.S. before April 19, 2040, except under certain usual conditions. The litigation against other defendants remains ongoing. Esperion, a biopharmaceutical company focused on cardiometabolic and rare disease therapies, markets non-statin treatments for LDL cholesterol and is expanding its product pipeline, while also exploring partnerships for market access. The press release includes forward-looking statements about the company's future operations and results.
Potential Positives
- Esperion successfully resolved patent litigation with Alkem Laboratories, ensuring continued market exclusivity for NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET until at least April 19, 2040.
- The settlement prevents the immediate entry of generic versions of these products, which supports Esperion's revenue stream and market position.
- Esperion maintains a robust U.S. commercial infrastructure and global approvals for its therapies, positioning the company for potential partnerships and market access opportunities.
Potential Negatives
- The ongoing patent litigation against other defendants may create uncertainty regarding the marketability of generic versions of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET, which could negatively impact Esperion's financial outlook.
- The settlement with Alkem extends protection of their patents until 2040, indicating a long-term competitive disadvantage against generic alternatives that could affect overall market share.
- The forward-looking statements include significant risks and uncertainties that highlight potential challenges in achieving profitability and successful commercialization of Esperion's products.
FAQ
What is the recent settlement between Esperion and Alkem Laboratories?
Esperion has settled its patent litigation with Alkem, preventing them from marketing generics of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET before April 19, 2040.
How does this settlement affect NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET?
The settlement ensures that no generic versions of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET can be marketed in the U.S. before the patent expiration date.
Are there other pending litigations related to Esperion's products?
Yes, ongoing patent litigation against other defendants like Aurobindo and Sandoz could impact the market availability of Esperion's products.
What therapies does Esperion currently offer?
Esperion markets two oral, once-daily, non-statin therapies aimed at lowering LDL-C levels and reducing cardiovascular disease risk.
Where can I find more information about Esperion?
For additional information, visit esperion.com or follow Esperion on LinkedIn and X for updates.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$ESPR Insider Trading Activity
$ESPR insiders have traded $ESPR stock on the open market 8 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 0 have been purchases and 8 have been sales.
Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $ESPR stock by insiders over the last 6 months:
- SHELDON L. KOENIG (President and CEO) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 76,671 shares for an estimated $256,454.
- BENJAMIN LOOKER (General Counsel) has made 0 purchases and 4 sales selling 15,721 shares for an estimated $49,613.
- BENJAMIN HALLADAY (Chief Financial Officer) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 14,383 shares for an estimated $46,689.
To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard.
$ESPR Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 119 institutional investors add shares of $ESPR stock to their portfolio, and 69 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- INDABA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.P. removed 3,000,000 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $7,950,000
- MARSHALL WACE, LLP added 2,950,172 shares (+117.0%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $10,915,636
- VANGUARD GROUP INC added 2,853,005 shares (+23.6%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $10,556,118
- BLACKROCK, INC. added 2,848,410 shares (+19.2%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $10,539,117
- WASATCH ADVISORS LP added 2,383,902 shares (+33.8%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $8,820,437
- TWO SEAS CAPITAL LP added 2,152,797 shares (+22.1%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $7,965,348
- INTEGRAL HEALTH ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC added 1,500,000 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $3,975,000
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
$ESPR Analyst Ratings
Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $ESPR in the last several months. We have seen 1 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.
Here are some recent analyst ratings:
- Piper Sandler issued a "Overweight" rating on 11/25/2025
To track analyst ratings and price targets for $ESPR, check out Quiver Quantitative's $ESPR forecast page.
$ESPR Price Targets
Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $ESPR recently. We have seen 2 analysts offer price targets for $ESPR in the last 6 months, with a median target of $12.5.
Here are some recent targets:
- David Amsellem from Piper Sandler set a target price of $9.0 on 11/25/2025
- Joseph Pantginis from HC Wainwright & Co. set a target price of $16.0 on 09/19/2025
Full Release
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Esperion (NASDAQ: ESPR) today announced that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Alkem Laboratories Ltd. (Alkem). This agreement resolves the patent litigation brought by Esperion against Alkem in response to Alkem’s Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) seeking approval to market generic versions of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET prior to the expiration of the applicable patents. Pursuant to the agreement, Alkem has agreed not to market a generic version of either NEXLETOL or NEXLIZET in the United States prior to April 19, 2040, unless certain limited circumstances customarily included in these types of agreements occur.
The pending patent litigation against the remaining defendants (Aurobindo Pharma Limited (along with an affiliate); MSN Pharmaceuticals Inc. (along with an affiliate); Renata Limited; and Sandoz Inc.) is ongoing, and there can be no assurance whether such ongoing patent litigation will allow a generic version of NEXLETOL and/or NEXLIZET, as applicable, to be marketed in the U.S. prior to April 19, 2040.
Esperion Therapeutics
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and delivering innovative cardiometabolic and rare/orphan disease therapies. The Company leverages deep domain expertise in ACLY biology to develop and commercialize transformative medicines for patients worldwide. Esperion currently markets two oral, once-daily, non-statin therapies for patients struggling to maintain their low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and are at risk of cardiovascular disease.
With a broad U.S. commercial infrastructure and global approvals across more than 40 countries, Esperion is well positioned to serve as a partner-of-choice for global innovators seeking U.S. market access through acquisition, in-license, co-promotion and revenue share opportunities. In tandem, the Company is advancing its leadership in ACLY biology to build a diversified pipeline of novel product candidates, including treatments for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and renal diseases. For more information, visit esperion.com and follow Esperion on LinkedIn and X .
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding marketing strategy and commercialization and business development plans, current and planned operational expenses, expected profitability, future operations, commercial products, clinical development, including the timing, designs and plans for the CLEAR Outcomes study and its results, plans for potential future product candidates, financial condition and outlook, including expected cash runway and profitability, and other statements containing the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “suggest,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” and similar expressions. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause Esperion’s actual results to differ significantly from those projected, including, without limitation, the net sales, profitability, and growth of Esperion’s commercial products, clinical activities and results, supply chain, commercial development and launch plans, business development, the outcomes and anticipated benefits of legal proceedings and settlements, and the risks detailed in Esperion’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Esperion disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by law.
Esperion Contact Information:
Investors:
Alina Venezia
[email protected]
(734) 887-3903
Media:
Tiffany Aldrich
[email protected]
(616) 443-8438
