Alkermes has returned with a sweetened offer for Avadel Pharmaceuticals, upping its original bid worth $20 per share by an additional $2.50 per share as it seeks to stave off competition from Lundbeck. The revised deal was disclosed Wednesday, a matter of days after Avadel's board deemed Lundbeck's unsolicited bid superior to that from Alkermes. With Alkermes' original agreement consisting of an initial outlay of $18.50 per share, plus a contingent value right (CVR) worth an additional $1.50 per share, the new proposal boosts the upfront portion to $21 per share. The revised offer maintains the CVR at $1.50 per share, which is linked to final FDA approval of Avadel's Lumryz (sodium oxybate) for the treatment of idiopathic hypersomnia in adults by the end of 2028. Meanwhile, Lundbeck's bid includes $21 in cash at closing and up to $2 in CVRs tied to sales of Lumryz and the experimental therapy valiloxybate. Specifically, the CVR would pay out $1 per share if combined US sales of Lumryz and valiloxybate reach at least $450 million annually by the end of 2027, with another $1 per share due if these products together achieve $700 million in annual US sales by the end of 2030.Having assessed Alkermes' new offer and Lundbeck's proposal, Avadel's board has determined that the latter no longer constitutes a "Company Superior Proposal." Avadel noted that while both bids include the same upfront cash consideration, the terms of Alkermes' CVR are "superior" given that the sales targets in Lundbeck's bid are "unlikely to be achieved."Alkermes and Avadel said that the transaction under the increased offer — valuing the latter at around $2.37 billion — is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.