Pharma & Biotech Mergers & Acquisitions News
Pharmaceutical
Full mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology in 2024 fluctuated throughout the year with hardly any in some months and a significant number in other. But one thing was clear – buyers were shying away from big bets on commercially ready medicines in favor of earlier stage drug developers. 3 January 2025
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Pharmaceutical
Danish central nervous system specialist Lundbeck (LUND: DC) and the UK's Proximagen Group (AIM: PRX), have entered into a strategic partnership agreement under which they will jointly apply their expertise in CNS drug development towards achieving their collective strategic and growth objectives. 30 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
US drug giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) said yesterday that it has sold its 50% interest in the Johnson & Johnson-Merck Consumer Pharmaceuticals joint venture (JJMCP) to Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and its McNeil affiliates for a one-time payment of $175 million. The JV was formed in 1989 to develop, manufacture, market and distribute certain over-the-counter (OTC) consumer products in the USA and Canada. 29 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
The fight for the acquisition of Canada's Afexa Life Sciences (TSX: FXA) has gone into overdrive, with Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE/TSX: VRX) announcing yesterday that it intends to raise its takeover offer for the Edmonton, Alberta-based company to C$0.85 per common share, an increase of 20% from C$0.71 originally offered under an agreement announced last month, which valued the company at around C$76 million ($78 million: The Pharma Letter August 31). 27 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
USA-based drugmaker Jazz Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: JAZZ) and privately-held Azur Pharma have agreed to combine in an all-stock transaction that creates a specialty pharmaceutical company incorporated in Ireland with a diversified portfolio of products currently marketed in the USA. The combined company would be named Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc. Jazz shares fell 5.1% to $41.51 in after-hours trading last night, having gained 2% to $43.74 by 4pm. 20 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
US drugmaker Alkermes (Nasdaq: ALKS) says it has now completed its previously-announced acquisition of Elan Drug Technologies (EDT), under an agreement with Ireland-based Elan Corp (NYSE: ELN). The latter receives $500 million in cash and 31.9 million ordinary shares of Alkermes, representing around 25% of the new Alkermes plc (The Pharma Letter May 9).Based on the closing share price of Alkermes Inc on September 15 of $16.52, this represents a total transaction value of about $1.0 billion. 19 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
In a further move to boost its non-generics activities, Israel's Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA) has signed a collaboration option to license and share purchase agreements to invest in USA-based start-up Cocrystal Discovery (CDI), which is focused on the discovery and development of novel antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of serious and chronic viral diseases. 18 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Protein research tools supplier Abcam (AIM: ABC) says it has entered into an agreement to acquire the entire issued share capital of fellow UK-based Ascent Scientific, a specialist provider of biochemical reagents with international sales. 14 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Family-owned Italian drugmaker Menarini categorically denies that it has given any kind of mandate to investment bank Mediobanca for a possible agreement with a private equity fund, an alliance with a major pharmaceutical group, the sale of the Menarini parent company, its listing on the stock exchange or any similar corporate transaction, as was reported on Friday in the national newspaper Il Mondo. 12 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Shareholders of USA-based Alkermes (Nasdaq; ALKS) have voted to approve the previously-announced $960 million merger of Alkermes and Elan Drug Technologies (EDT), the profitable drug formulation and manufacturing business unit of Ireland's Elan Corp (The Pharma Letter May 9). 9 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Acquisitive Canadian drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (TSX: VRX) says that it has entered into an agreed deal to acquire Afexa Life Sciences (TSX: FXA) for around C$76 million ($76.9 million), or C$0.71 per share in cash, trumping by around 29% a recent offer of C$0.55 a share from fellow Canada-based Paladin Labs (TSX: PLB), which is also in the throes of buying Labopharm (The Pharma Letter August 22). 31 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
USA-based Baxter International (NYSE: BAX) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Baxa Corp, a privately held company based in Englewood, Colorado, with additional operations in Florida and the UK, for a total upfront sum of $380 million. 27 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
Japan's largest drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceuticals (TYO: 4502) is in talks with two of India's leading pharma firms with the aim of an acquisition, reports the Economic Times of India, which says that, unlike rival Japanese firm Daiichi Sankyo (TYO: 4568), it does not have a significant presence in India's fast-growing market. 25 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
Paladin Labs (TSX: PLB) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire fellow Canadian drugmaker Labopharm (TSX: DDS) for around C$20.4 million ($20.6 million), or $0.2857 per share in cash, which represents a premium of 57.4% over the volume-weighted average price of Labopharm's shares of $0.1815 for the 30 trading days prior to this announcement. 22 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
Representing its first acquisition outside of India, Mumbai-based Ipca Laboratories has bought 100% of the share capital of Onyx Research Chemicals, the holding company for Onyx Scientific in a 4.6 million ($7.5 million) transaction. 17 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
Philippines-based ADEC Solutions , an end-to-end business process outsourcing (BPO) global market provider of customized outsourcing solutions, announced a partnership agreement with Malaysia's Zuellig Pharma, to create a global pharmaceutical and health care-focused knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) and BPO company. 8 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
There was good news this morning from Vectura Group (LSE: VEC), a UK-based inhalation product development company, which says it has signed a US collaboration, development and license agreement with a US division of an undisclosed leading international pharmaceutical company for Vectura's VR315 product. VR315 is a combination therapy for asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) delivered using Vectura's proprietary technology. 3 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
The European Commission said yesterday that it has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of independent Swiss pharmaceutical company Nycomed by Japan's Takeda (TYO: 4568; The Pharma Letter May 19). 3 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
Japanese drug major Shionogi (TKO: 4507) says it has signed an agreement to acquire the Chinese drugmaker C&O Pharmaceutical Technology for around 14.3 billion yen ($185.3 million), or 0.50 Singapore dollars a share, in order to expand its presence in this important market. 2 August 2011
Pharmaceutical
Under European Union merger regulations, the European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of Capsugel by fund manager Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). Capsugel is being divested to KKR by US drugs behemoth Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) in a deal worth $2.38 billion to the latter company (The Pharma Letter April 5). 28 July 2011
Pharmaceutical
German drugmaker Stada Arzneimittel (SAZ: GR) and have confirmed the previously-flagged signing of a deal with family-owned Grunenthal to the contracts on the purchase of a branded product portfolio including the associated sales structures for numerous national markets in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in the Middle East (The Pharma Letter May 16). 26 July 2011
Pharmaceutical
Immedica Pharma, a Swedish company specializing in rare diseases, has announced its acquisition of Marinus Pharmaceuticals in a deal valued at $151 million. The agreement, finalized through a cash tender offer, marks a significant expansion of Immedica’s presence in the US market. 6 January 2025
Pharmaceutical
Full mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology in 2024 fluctuated throughout the year with hardly any in some months and a significant number in other. But one thing was clear – buyers were shying away from big bets on commercially ready medicines in favor of earlier stage drug developers. 3 January 2025
Pharmaceutical
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has acquired UK-based biotech Oxular, enhancing its gene therapy development program with the firm’s specialized ocular delivery tech. 3 January 2025
Pharmaceutical
Denmark-based diabetes and obesity giant Novo Nordisk says it plans to invest 8.5 billion Danish kroner ($1.2 billion) to establish a completely new production facility in Odense, Denmark. 16 December 2024
Pharmaceutical
The pharmaceutical and life sciences industry is gearing up for what analysts at PwC predict will be a highly active year for mergers and acquisitions in 2025, following a mixed performance in 2024. 13 December 2024
Pharmaceutical
Canada-headquartered Bausch + Lomb Corporation, a leading global eye health company, on Thursday confirmed reports that it is exploring a potential sale, acting in response to a request from the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). 13 December 2024
Pharmaceutical
UK-based Tenpoint Therapeutics and Seattle’s Visus Therapeutics have announced the completion of their merger to create an entirely new chapter in ophthalmic therapeutic medicines aimed at rejuvenating the aging eye. 12 December 2024
Pharmaceutical
The European Commission has approved unconditionally, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of contract development and manufacture organization (CDMO) Catalent (NYSE: MCTLT) by Denmark’s Novo Holdings. 7 December 2024
Pharmaceutical
GE Healthcare has announced plans to acquire from Sumitomo Chemical the half of Nihon Medi-Physics (NMP) that it doesn’t own. 5 December 2024
Pharmaceutical
Germany’s Evotec has said its chief operating officer Craig Johnstone will leave the business at the end of the year. 29 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Munich, Germany headquartered contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Adragos Pharma has acquired Baccinex, a Swiss-based expert in aseptic fill-finish manufacturing. 28 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
The board of Spanish plasma-based medicines producer Grifols has announced the termination of discussions with Brookfield Capital Partners (UK) regarding a potential acquisition of Grifols shares. 28 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Swiss pharma giant Novartis today announced an upgrade to its mid-term guidance, in advance of its Meet Novartis Management event for investors and analysts in London. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Big pharmas are not deterred by China’s increasingly complex business environment. Instead, they are changing strategies to minimize risks while continuing to benefit from China, said speakers at ChinaTrials held last week in Shanghai. 18 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Life science investor Syncona has announced the launch of its newest portfolio company, Slingshot Therapeutics, through the Syncona Accelerator initiative. 14 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
European regulators will decide by December 6 whether Novo Holdings, the controlling shareholder of Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk, can finalize its $16.5 billion acquisition of contract drug manufacturer Catalent. 5 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical M&A came back with a bang during October, after a quiet September. 5 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
US pharma major AbbVie last week proposed $1.4 billion acquisition of US CNS drug developer Aliada Therapeutics. Last week saw a bunch of third quarter 2024 financials results, among which were Elil Lilly, AbbVie and Merck & Co. Also of note, Lexicon’s type I diabetes drug Zynquista faced a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee review that resulted in largely negative vote against recommendation. 3 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Melbourne, Australia-based Telix Pharmaceuticals has announced the launch of Rhine Pharma, a subsidiary aimed at increasing global access to radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment and imaging. 22 October 2024
Pharmaceutical
French pharma major Sanofi has opened negotiations to sell a 50% controlling stake in its consumer health business Opella to US private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). 21 October 2024
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