Pharma & Biotech Mergers & Acquisitions News
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
Today's issue
Refine Search
Latest Mergers & Acquisitions News & Features
Biotechnology
Danish early-stage biotechnology company Ascendis Pharma is up for sale, according to a person familiar with the matter reported by the Wall Street Journal. The auction has drawn interest from a handful of health care heavyweights such as French drug major Sanofi-Aventis and US biotech firm Amgen, but the WSJ said none of the companies were open to comment at the present time. 24 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
Japan's Sosei Group says that it has reached an agreement to acquire 100% of Activus Pharma, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company based in Chiba, Japan, established in 2006 as a spin-off from DIC Corp. 23 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
Acquisitive California, USA-based Valeant has entered into a definitive reverse merger agreement with Canada's Biovail under which the companies would combine to generate enhanced value for stockholders, in a stock and cash deal estimated at around $3.2 billion. 22 June 2010
Biotechnology
The global recession of 2009 left a deep impact on the health care industry in the USA and Europe. Asia Pacific countries a suffered similar crisis, but recovered significantly faster than their western counterparts, notes a new report from Frost & Sullivan. 21 June 2010
Biotechnology
Egyptian drugmaker Minapharm Pharmaceuticals says it has completed the acquisition of 95% of the share capital of ProBioGen AG, a German cell line development and contract manufacturing specialist. The total purchase price of 30.4 million euros ($36.8 million) includes earn-out payments which are conditional upon the achievement of defined milestones. 17 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
In a further move of its declared intention to expand its consumer health care business, French drug major Sanofi-Aventis has entered into a definitive agreement under which its Canadian affiliate will acquire the assets of Canderm Pharma, a privately-held leading Canadian skin care company. This deal follows on the heels of the group's $1.9 billion acquisition of the North American CHC company Chattem (The Pharma Letter December 22, 2009). Financial of the Canderm buy were not disclosed. 16 June 2010
Biotechnology
India's third-largest drugmaker Cipla says it is investing around $65 million to acquire stakes in two biotechnology companies, one in India and the other in Hong Kong, in order to gain a presence in the sector and provide biotech drugs at reasonable prices. The acquisitions will be funded through internal accruals. 16 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
USA-based Talecris Biotherapeutics has entered into a co-promotion agreement with the vaccines unit of Swiss drug major Novartis to jointly market and sell their respective post-exposure rabies products. Financial terms of the deal are not disclosed. 16 June 2010
Generics
Israeli generic drugs giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has exercised its option to invest an additional $11.9 million in diabetes drug developer Andromeda Biotech at a company value of $170 million, report the local news service Globes Online. 15 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
Italian drugmaker Recordati says it has acquired ArtMed International, a Romanian company dedicated to the promotion of pharmaceutical products in Romania, along with the rights to the products currently being promoted by ArtMed. The price paid is 1.2 million euros ($1.5 million) plus an earn-out based on the gross profit of the five products under license. 14 June 2010
Generics
UK drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline is extending its reach into emerging markets, revealing yesterday that it buying full control of a leading Argentinean drugmaker, Laboratorios Phoenix, for a cash consideration of around $253 million, and gaining a stronger foot hold in Argentina's pharmaceutical market, which is valued at about $3 billion by IMS Health. 11 June 2010
Generics
Chennai, India-based generic drugmaker Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals says that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Karalex Pharma, a US-based generic marketing and sales services company headquartered in New Jersey, through an all-cash deal for an undisclosed amount. The transaction is expected to close by this month subject to customary closing conditions. 11 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
Hospira to fund Javelin with $2 million loan, pending outcome of merger deal; signs deal with Durect
Javelin Pharmaceuticals, which last week initiated legal action to enforce a merger and loan agreement with fellow USA-based Hospira (The Pharma Letter June 4), yesterday received notice from Hospira that it will fund a $2 million loan to Javelin on June 10, 2010, under the existing loan agreement between the firms. 8 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
China's Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, which specializes in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of branded generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals in China, has entered into an agreement to acquire an 80% stake in Xiangao Investment Company, an investment company registered in China which, as its sole business, holds a 49% stake in Jilin Boda Pharmaceutical. 8 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
Spanish health care company Grifols says it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire USA-based Talecris Biotherapeutics for around $3.4 billion in a combination of cash and newly-issued Grifols non-voting shares in order to create what it says will be 'a global leader of life-saving and life enhancing plasma protein therapeutics.' 7 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
The USA's Javelin Pharmaceuticals has filed a law suit against Hospira, and Discus Acquisition, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hospira formed to acquire Javelin, in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Javelin, seeks to compel Hospira and Discus to complete the agreed-upon merger pursuant to the definitive merger agreement among Javelin, Hospira and Discus dated April 17, 2010 (The Pharma Letters passim). 4 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
US firm CombiMatrix Corp revealed yesterday that it has instructed its investment bankers to cease work on identification and pursuit of potential purchasers of the company or its assets. For the past several months, CombiMatrix has had discussions with parties about a sale of the company or assets of the company. The news saw the firm's stock fall 10% to $2.46 in early trading yesterday. 2 June 2010
Generics
Indian drugmaker Lupin is planning a second acquisition in Japan, where it became the seventh largest generics player after buying local firm Kyowa Pharmaceuticals in 2007 for around $100 million, according to a report from Livemint, a part of HT Media 2 June 2010
Pharmaceutical
Centocor Ortho Biotech, a subsidiary of US health care giant Johnson & Johnson, has acquired RespiVert, a privately held UK-based drug discovery company focused on developing small-molecule, inhaled therapies for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. 1 June 2010
Biotechnology
Colorado, USA-based biotechnology firm Cannabis Science, which is developing medicinal cannabis products, has acquired 100% of a private company with two revenue producing operations, an organic medical marijuana growing facility and a medical marijuana dispensary providing patients with medical marijuana in Colorado in accordance with state laws. 1 June 2010
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
Biotechnology
Aizen Therapeutics, an AI-driven biotech headquartered in San Diego, has officially launched from stealth mode, introducing its drug discovery platform, DaX. 21 November 2024
Biotechnology
Massachusetts, USA-based firm VBI Vaccines has initiated a nationwide voluntary recall of PreHevbrio (hepatitis B vaccine), as it proceeds with bankruptcy and the shutdown of its operations. 19 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
Biotechnology
Last week saw US pharma major AbbVie release disappointing Phase II trial results on its emraclidine in schizophrenia, which benefited Bristol Myers Squibb. Also on the research front, Germany’s Merck KGaA and Abbisko’s pimicotinib showed positive results in tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). M&A news saw German BioNTech punting $800 million upfront to acquire China based oncology focused Biotheus. Also of note, US drugmaker Halozyme Therapeutics made an unsolicited takeover bid for Evotec, valuing the German firm, at around 2 billion euros. 17 November 2024
Biosimilars
South Korean biosimilars company Celltrion today announced its acquisition of iQone Healthcare Switzerland a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on distribution, sales, and marketing in Switzerland. 15 November 2024
Biotechnology
Shares of German drug discovery company Evotec leapt 20% to 10.33 euros this morning on the revelation that the USA’s Halozyme Therapeutics has submitted a non-binding proposal to acquire Evotec for 11.00 euros per share in cash, implying a fully-diluted equity value of around 2.0 billion euros ($2.12 billion). 15 November 2024
Biotechnology
BeiGene has announced plans to rebrand as BeOne Medicines, a move the cancer specialist says reflects its commitment to fighting cancer through collaboration. 15 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
Biotechnology
Although it is seeing a downturn in sales and profits, German biotech BioNTech is continuing to acquire assets with the cash pile it made through the covid pandemic, notably iis Comirnaty vaccine that was developed with Pfizer (NYSE: PFE). 13 November 2024
Biotechnology
Trace Neuroscience, a newly launched biopharma based in San Francisco, aims to advance treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, starting with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 12 November 2024
Biotechnology
AlloVir has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with biopharma company Kalaris Therapeutics. 8 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
Biotechnology
California, USA-based biotech Nektar Therapeutics’ shares closed up more than 8% at $1.33 yesterday after it announced the sale of its only manufacturing facility. 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
Biotechnology
Maryland, USA–based glycobiology specialist GlycoMimetics has entered into an acquisition agreement with Crescent Biopharma, a privately held biotechnology company advancing a pipeline of oncology therapeutics designed to treat solid tumors. 30 October 2024
Biotechnology
German drugmaker Dr Falk Pharma GmbH today announced completion of the acquisition of Kynos Therapeutics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of novel KMO inhibitors for acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. 29 October 2024
Biotechnology
US Pharma major AbbVie has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Aliada Therapeutics, a biotech advancing therapies using a novel blood-brain barrier (BBB)-crossing technology to address challenging central nervous system (CNS) diseases. 29 October 2024
Biotechnology
Ottimo Pharma, a biotech founded by Medicxi in 2020, has emerged from stealth mode with an executive team packed with prominent industry leaders. 28 October 2024
Sign up to receive email updates
Join industry leaders for a daily roundup of biotech & pharma news
Copyright © The Pharma Letter 2024 | Headless Content Management with Blaze