Top ten quarterly M&A spenders, Q4 2019

Looking at the deals announced in the fourth quarter of 2019, the M&A landscape was dominated by large pharma but increasingly biopharma companies and generic manufacturers are expanding their product portfolios and services through M&A activities, too.

Strategic investments in innovative therapies

Novartis’ (NOVN: VX) $10.03 billion strategic investment places it pole position, with its $9.7 billion bid for The Medicines Company meaning it will gain access to the Phase III siRNA cholesterol lowering drug inclisiran, and the Swiss pharma giant's Sandoz subsidiary has expanded its access to hospitals through the $330.6 million acquisition of Aspen Pharmacare’s Japanese generics unit.