BRIEF—B-MS completes consumer health divestment

Bristol-Myers Squibb has completed the sale of its consumer health business, UPSA, to Taisho Pharmaceutical, Japan's largest over-the-counter drug company.

The divestiture is part of B-MS’ strategy to simplify and realign its business portfolio to address changes in its business and the future requirements of its evolving pipeline. Developing and delivering transformative medicines is the firm’s priority, and to achieve this it is seeking to buy biotech firm Celgene for $74 billion.

UPSA is focused on delivering important consumer medicines in France, across Europe and additional countries that are outside of the B-MS core focus.