Pharma & Biotech Mergers & Acquisitions News
Pharmaceutical
Privately-held drugmaker Paratek Pharmaceuticals is to buy specialty pharma Optinose, including its approved product Xhance (fluticasone propionate). 20 March 2025
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Pharmaceutical
Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) has entered into a definitive agreement to buy USA-based Genoptix (Nasdaq: GXDX), a specialized laboratory providing personalized diagnostic services to community-based hematologists and oncologists. The acquisition will enhance Novartis' tools and services that aim to improve health outcomes for patients by advancing the ability to define and monitor individualized treatment programs. 24 January 2011
Pharmaceutical
Farmsintez, one of Russia's leading pharmaceutical companies, has acquired Kevelt AS, an Estonian pharmaceutical manufacturer, which specializes in the contract manufacturing of finished drugs for certain European and US pharmaceutical companies, as well as solutions for the cryopreservation of stem cells. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. 24 January 2011
Pharmaceutical
Leading Russian drugmaker JSC Pharmstandard (PHST: MM) says it has acquired a 55% stake in Ukrainian company PJSC Biolek. The move follows a November 2010 decision by the Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee to grant permission for the purchase of over 50% of the shares of Biolek. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it will be financed with Pharmstandard's own funds, the company said. 20 January 2011
Pharmaceutical
French drug major Sanofi-Aventis (Euronext: SAN) has cleared one hurdle in its quest to acquire US biotech firm Genzyme (Nasdaq: GENZ), with the European Commission yesterday approving the deal on competition grounds. 13 January 2011
Pharmaceutical
Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma (TSE: 4503) says that it has engaged Citigroup Global Markets to conduct, in conjunction with executive management, a review of the company's strategic alternatives with regard to its Prosidion subsidiary, which was acquired as part of Astellas' $4 billion purchase of USA-based OSI Pharmaceuticals last year (The Pharma Letter May 4, 2010). 11 January 2011
Pharmaceutical
San Diego, USA-based ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals (NYSE Amex: ANX) says that it has signed a term sheet to acquire a private company that holds certain rights and know-how to poloxamer-based therapeutics. The term sheet is non-binding on both ADVENTRX and the target company. 10 January 2011
Pharmaceutical
CPEX Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: CPEX), an emerging, USA-based specialty pharmaceutical company, has agreed to a buyout from the Footstar group, in a deal valued at around $76.6 million, plus fees and expenses relating to the transaction. The news sent CPEX' shares 10% higher to $27 in premarket trading yesterday, and the stock has more than doubled over the past 12 months. 5 January 2011
Pharmaceutical
USA-based drug developer Clinical Data (Nasdaq: CLDA) ended 2010 by closing the sale of its genetic and pharmacogenomic testing and biomarker development business to Transgenomic (OTCBB: TBIO) for $15.5 million, thus completing its transformation into a pharmaceutical company with a deep product pipeline, the company said. 4 January 2011
Pharmaceutical
The UK's Proximagen Group (AIM: PRX), whose principal focus on the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system, has signed an exclusive agreement with drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) to acquire the global rights to two drug development programs. Both are target diseases of the CNS; the more advanced program is ready to enter the clinic to be investigated for its potential to treat cognition disorders. 23 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
In the second collaboration between the companies this month, the USA's Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX) and family-owned German drugmaker Grunenthal GmbH have entered into an agreement whereby Forest has acquired all rights currently held by Grunenthal for colistin and all rights previously licensed by Forest to Grunenthal for Colobreathe. 22 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
The European Commission on Friday approved the acquisition of control over Andreae-NorisZahn AG (Anzag; ANZG: DE), one of Germany's largest drug wholesalers, by the international group Alliance Boots. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. 20 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
In the now nearly five month saga, Cypress Biosciences (Nasdaq CYPB) has done an about turn and accepted the takeover offer from hedge fund Ramius' firm Ramius V&O Acquisitions arm and Royalty Pharma, albeit at an even higher price. The news saw Cypress' shares leap 12% to $6.47 in afternoon US trading yesterday. 16 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
Ending a long struggle to gain 100% control of eye care specialist Alcon (NYSE: ACL), Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) has announced a final agreement in the price at which it will purchase the Alcon minority stake. 15 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
Analysts at US financial services group Zacks Investment Research have issued a note reviewing UK drug giant GlaxoSmithKline's (LSE: GSK) recent buying spree, pointing first to its plans to acquire UK-based Maxinutrition Group for a cash payment of about 162 million ($258 million). The deal includes the repayment of outstanding debt. 15 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, a New York, USA-based subsidiary of Japanese drug major Daiichi Sankyo (TKO: 4568), has signed a binding merger agreement with privately-held Roxro Pharma, a US specialty pharmaceutical company developing products for the treatment of acute pain conditions. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 14 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
Aiming to resolve a long-running dispute relating to the rabies vaccine Rabipur, French drug major Sanofi-Aventis' (Euronext: SAN) Aventis Pharma has agreed to sell its 49% equity holding in India-based Chiron Behring Vaccines Pvt Ltd (CBVPL) to Swiss major Novartis (NOVN: VX), for a consideration of around $22.4 million. The transaction is expected to close before year end. 14 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
Uppsala, Sweden-based privately held Phadia says that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in the Chinese marketing company WKL from the parent company MeiRui. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the transaction is expected to complete by the end of 2010, and is subject to regulatory approval. 14 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
Following rumor and speculation over the weekend, this morning German drug major Merck KGaA (MRK: DE) announced that Stefan Oschmann will become a member of the executive board and general partner of the company, succeeding Elmar Schnee, who leaves 'for personal reasons.' 13 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
Big Pharma has had an active 2010, with a 20% increase in the number of deals concluded compared to last year according to latest figures released by MedTRACK, the biomedical database from Life Science Analytics. The 'deals' include both licensing and merger and acquisition activities. 10 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
US health care giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is making a recommended cash offer for all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares Netherlands-based vaccine maker Crucell NV (Euronext: CRXC), at the previously-announced price of 24.75 euros a share, to take full control of the company of which it already owns 17.9% (The Pharma Letter September 17). That means J&J will pay 1.75 billion euros ($2.3 billion) for the balance of the shares. 9 December 2010
Pharmaceutical
US private equity firm Vance Street Capital has expanded its life sciences manufacturing platform with the acquisition of Irish contract manufacturer Zenith Adhesive Components, adding further technical capabilities and boosting regional reach. 4 April 2025
Pharmaceutical
Plenty of money changed hands in pharma M&A during March, with the biggest deal a $6.7 billion merger between Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Endo, after the pair emerged from bankruptcy processes linked to liabilities over the US opioid crisis. 2 April 2025
Pharmaceutical
Japanese drugmaker Sumitomo Pharma said yesterday that it is divesting its Asian business to major Japanese trading house Marubeni for roughly 72 billion yen ($480 million) in a deal that forms part of its post-Latuda (lurasidone) turnaround efforts. 2 April 2025
Pharmaceutical
Florida-based MIRA Pharmaceuticals, a pharma company developing therapeutics for neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders, has signed a binding letter of intent (LOI) to acquire privately held Delaware firm SKNY Pharmaceuticals. 24 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
Privately-held drugmaker Paratek Pharmaceuticals is to buy specialty pharma Optinose, including its approved product Xhance (fluticasone propionate). 20 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
Chinese pharmaceutical company Fosun Pharmaceutical Group has agreed to sell its stake in private hospital operator United Family Healthcare to an investment firm owned by US private equity giant Warburg Pincus. 14 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
USA-based Azurity Pharmaceuticals says it has completed its acquisition of Covis Group from existing investors and the privately-held Swiss drugmaker is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Azurity. 14 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
Ireland-based Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Endo Inc have agreed to combine in a stock and cash deal worth $6.7 billion, after the pair emerged from bankruptcy processes linked to liabilities over the US opioid crisis. 13 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
Alliance Pharma has accepted a final increased cash offer from investment firm DBAY Advisors, valuing the UK-based pharmaceutical company at approximately £362 million ($468 million). 11 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
USA-based Endo Inc today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to divest its international pharmaceuticals business, primarily operated through Canada-based specialty pharmaceutical company Paladin Pharma to Knight Therapeutics. 11 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
Last week’s significant research news included positive new Phase III data on Tezspire in nasal polyps from Amgen and AstraZeneca. US pharma major AbbVie became the latest entrant to the weight management sector, striking a deal with Gubra for its obesity candidate GUB14295. On the M&A front, Ireland-headquartered Jazz Pharmaceuticals announced it is acquiring Chimerix for around $935 million to expand its oncology portfolio. USA-based scPharmaceuticals gained US Food and Administration (FDA) approval for its supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Furoscix in chronic kidney disease (CKD). 9 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
Private equity firms acquiring assets were among the most eye-catching deals in pharma M&A during February. 6 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
Ireland-headquartered Jazz Pharmaceuticals has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire US biopharma company Chimerix for $8.55 per share in cash, representing a total consideration of around $935 million. The news sent Chimerix’ shares rocketing almost 70% to $8.40. 5 March 2025
Pharmaceutical
French biotech start-up studio Argobio and non-profit biomedical research center the Institut Pasteur have announced the launch of Enodia Therapeutics. 26 February 2025
Pharmaceutical
Kelso Pharma, the British specialty pharma business backed by Apposite Capital, today announced the acquisition of the UK pharma business, Alturix Holdings Limited. Financial terms were not disclosed. 24 February 2025
Pharmaceutical
US drugmaker Cosette Pharmaceuticals has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all the outstanding shares of Australia-based Mayne Pharma with the aim of expanding its health portfolio. 21 February 2025
Pharmaceutical
FibroGen today announced the sale of its China subsidiary to UK pharma major AstraZeneca for around $160 million, with the news sending the California-based company’s shares soaring 27% to $0.71. 20 February 2025
Pharmaceutical
An Expert View from Nick Petschek, EMEA managing director at global change management firm Kotter International. 12 February 2025
Pharmaceutical
Caymen Islands-headquartered specialty drug firm Legacy Pharma has announced the completion of the acquisition of InterMune, along with the intellectual property rights to Esbriet (pirfenidone) in the USA, from Genentech, a subsidiary of Swiss pharma giant Roche. 11 February 2025
Pharmaceutical
News last week including US biotechs Alumis and Acelyrin announcing that they are merging to create a late-stage clinical company focused on immune-mediated diseases. Last week also saw the release of fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial results by many pharma companies, including the US giants Merck & Co and Pfizer, as well as the two biggest players in the fast-growing weight management sector, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. 9 February 2025
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