Acton Pharmaceuticals

About Acton Pharmaceuticals

Acton Pharmaceuticals, Inc. operated as a specialty pharmaceutical company with a strategic focus on the respiratory sector, specifically targeting treatments for asthma and allergic rhinitis. Founded in March 2008 by Chief Executive Officer John Simon and President & Chief Operating Officer Daniel Kreisler, the company was established by seasoned pharmaceutical executives with extensive experience in the industry. Both Simon and Kreisler had prior experience at Forest Laboratories, a background that directly informed their business strategy of in-licensing promising, already-approved assets.

The company's business model centered on acquiring the rights to drugs that had secured FDA approval but were not yet commercialized due to challenges, often related to manufacturing scale-up. Acton would then apply its team's chemistry and aerosol development expertise to resolve these issues and bring the products to the multi-billion dollar U.S. respiratory market. This approach was supported by venture capital funding, including a significant Series A round led by Sequoia Capital in 2009. The firm's primary clients were envisioned to be respiratory and pediatric physicians.

Acton's product pipeline was built around two key assets. In 2009, the company licensed the global rights for AEROSPAN™ (flunisolide) from Forest Laboratories. This orally inhaled corticosteroid was intended for the maintenance treatment of asthma in patients six years and older. Its key feature was a built-in spacer device, a design element intended to improve the delivery of the medication to the lungs. Following this, in 2011, Acton secured exclusive U.S. rights from Sanofi U.S. for NASACORT HFA™ (triamcinolone acetonide), a nasal aerosol for treating allergy symptoms. Formulated with an HFA propellant, it was developed to be delivered as a fine, dry mist, distinguishing it from the aqueous nasal sprays available at the time.

A significant milestone in the company's history occurred in September 2013, when it was announced that Acton Pharmaceuticals would be acquired by the Swedish international specialty pharma company, Meda. The all-cash transaction was valued at an initial $135 million, with additional milestone payments that could bring the total to $200 million. The acquisition provided Meda with AEROSPAN™, which had recently received FDA approval, allowing the larger company to leverage its established respiratory sales force for the product's commercial launch in the U.S. market.