At long last, UK's CMA clears Roche's buy of Spark Therapeutics

Roche’s (ROG: SIX) long-delayed $4.3 billion acquisition of Spark Therapeutics, announced in February, moved a step forward to completion, with the news that it has been cleared by the UK’s regulator, though in the USA approval is still awaited, with the news moving the Swiss pharma giant’s shares up 1.1% to 303.090 Swiss francs by early afternoon trading.

Both companies develop treatments that aim to prevent bleeding in patients with hemophilia A, a genetic blood disorder. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been examining whether the deal could negatively affect the future treatment choices available to the NHS, doctors and patients.

The CMA’s initial Phase 1 investigation found that the supply of hemophilia A treatments is a developing sector in which a number of suppliers are in the process of bringing new products to market.