Solvonis Therapeutics PLC (LSE:SVNS) has enlisted specialist adviser PharmaVentures to help chart the commercial future of two treatments for alcohol addiction it is acquiring through its planned takeover of Awakn Life Sciences.
The deal, first announced in December and expected to complete in the second quarter, will see Solvonis take full ownership of the Canadian biotech, along with its pipeline of clinical-stage assets targeting Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
The rationale is clear: AUD remains one of the most under-treated conditions in mental health, affecting an estimated 39 million people across the US, UK and EU, with high relapse rates and limited treatment options.
Solvonis sees an opportunity to position itself as a leader in a field that has long struggled for effective innovation.
PharmaVentures is advising in two phases. First, it has completed a market benchmarking exercise to assess the potential deal value of Awakn’s key assets.
It will help Solvonis shape a go-to-market strategy, starting with lead candidate AWKN-001 - a potential breakthrough therapy designed to combine a proprietary drug with behavioural support.
The drug is targeting full approval in the UK and EU and is expected to benefit from eight years of data exclusivity and up to a decade of market protection.
Comparable European deals suggest it could attract up to £60 million in upfront and milestone payments, with further royalties down the line.
A second programme, AWKN-002, is a patent-pending esketamine formulation for oral use, designed to complement therapy in moderate-to-severe cases of AUD.
Currently, in pre-Phase 2b planning in the US, it’s being developed under the FDA’s 505(b)(2) pathway, a potential fast-track for the drug candidate.
PharmaVentures believes similar mid-stage assets have secured licensing deals worth as much as £150 million, excluding future sales royalties.
Taken together, the two programmes represent a commercial opportunity in excess of £200 million, based on recent sector deal activity.
But for Solvonis, the acquisition of Awakn is not just about headline numbers - it’s about building a strategic foothold in a market with deep unmet needs and growing clinical urgency.
With PharmaVentures on board, the company is aiming to convert scientific promise into commercial traction, as it prepares to integrate Awakn and bring its addiction pipeline closer to market.
"Completing the market analysis phase marks an important milestone, and we're excited to share these encouraging results," said Solvonis CEO Anthony Tennyson.
"Our mission remains clear: to bring life-changing therapies to patients while creating lasting value for our shareholders."