This morning's confirmation that AstraZeneca had made an approach to Acerta Pharma casts the spotlight on what is a private biotech that has quietly positioned itself as the most advanced developer of a BTK inhibitor after AbbVie 's blockbuster Imbruvica . Have you spotted the link? AbbVie had acquired Imbruvica through a $21bn takeover of Pharmacyclics , and Acerta was founded by Ahmed Hamdy- none other than Pharmacyclics ' ex-chief medical officer.