Tag: Mergers & Acquisitions

Acino Health acquires US$121.5M select prescription drugs from Aspen Pharmacare

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SOUTH AFRICA – Drug maker Aspen Pharmacare has sold six prescription medicines used for the treatment of gastroenterology, erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases to Swiss pharmaceutical company Acino Healthcare Group for US$ 121.5 million (R1.8 billion). Chief Executive at Acino Stephen Saad, said the transaction formed part of the group’s communicated strategy to refine its product portfolio in South Africa. “The acquisition of these trusted brands in South Africa represents excellent scaling and commercial opportunities for Acino as it expands its footprint in South Africa by adding these products to…

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Imperial holdings acquires 25% stake in Mauritian health startup Vicore Health

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MAURITIUS – Imperial, through its Market Access Healthcare business, has made a strategic investment in Vicore Health, an emerging Mauritian based health product industry service and technology provider. Vicore health specializes in Pharmacovigilance, Governance, Regulatory and Medical Affairs solutions. This investment will give Imperial a 25% stake in the business. Imperial Holdings Ltd. operates as an investment holding company with interest in food, healthcare, housing, transport, insurance, data management, and blockchain industries. “In looking to execute on our purpose of connecting Africa and the world and improving people’s lives with…

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Merck to acquire rare diseases tech firm Acceleron Pharma for US$11.5 billion

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USA – Merck has struck a US$11.5 billion deal to buy Acceleron Pharma to expand its growing pipeline of cardiovascular treatments, and said it is on the hunt for further acquisition opportunities. The US life sciences group said it would acquire US-listed Acceleron for US$180 per share in cash in a deal that is expected to close in the fourth quarter. It is the latest in a series of acquisitions of emerging companies by large pharma groups aiming to secure access to blockbuster drugs to boost future revenues. Pfizer last…

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Sizwe, Hosmed get green light to merge, creating South Africa’s 8th-largest medical scheme

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SOUTH AFRICA – The Council for Medical Schemes has given its stamp of approval to the merger of Hosmed Medical Scheme and Sizwe Medical Fund, creating South Africa’s eighth-largest open medical scheme. The merger brings together Sizwe’s 46 900 membership with Hosmed’s 21 000. According to these membership numbers, the merged entity becomes the eighth largest medical scheme in the country with the fourth-highest solvency ratio of the top 10n largest medical schemes, the company said in a statement yesterday. “There are no words to describe the significance of the…

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Novartis pushes further into gene therapy for the eye with deal for Swiss startup

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SWITZERLAND – Novartis has bought a second biotech startup developing gene therapies for the eye, Arctos Medical, a small Swiss company spun out of the University of Bern. Arctos, which previously received financial backing from Novartis’ venture fund, specializes in optogenetics, a field of research which uses light to probe the behavior of neurons. Drawing on this science, Arctos is attempting to transform other types of retinal cells into photoreceptor-like cells by delivering a gene that encodes for a light-sensitive protein. Arctos, and now Novartis, envision this technology could be…

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Lincoln Pharma acquires plant for making pneumonia, bronchitis antibiotics

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INDIA – Indian drug maker Lincoln Pharmaceuticals Limited has acquired a facility in Mehsana state in India that makes antibiotics used in the treatment of pneumonia and bronchitis, among other ailments. The acquisition along with capacity expansion and modernization entails an investment of US$4.07 million (Rs 30 crore) which Lincoln Pharma will fund through internal accruals. The plant will manufacture Cephalosporin products which is a bactericidal, broad-spectrum, and β-lactam antibiotic originally derived from fungus Acremonium. To be manufactured in tablet, capsule, dry syrup and injectable forms, Cephalosporin is used to…

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Biocon Biologics offers 15% stake to Serum Institute Life Sciences for US$ 4.9 billion

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INDIA – Biocon Biologics Limited (BBL), a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd. and Serum Institute Life Sciences Private Limited (SILS), a subsidiary of Serum Institute of India (SII), have announced a strategic alliance where BBL said it will offer around 15% stake to SILS at a post-money valuation of about US$4.9 billion. BBL will then get access to 100 million doses of vaccines per annum for 15 years from Serum Life Sciences’s (SILS) upcoming facility in Pune. The company will also receive commercialization rights for SILS’ vaccine portfolio for global markets.…

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UAE holding company ADQ acquires pharmaceutical company Acino

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UAE – ADQ, one of UAE’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Swiss-based Acino, a leading provider of high-quality pharmaceuticals focused on growth-leading markets across the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Russia, Ukraine and the CIS Region. Acino is a leader in more than 20 therapeutic areas including gastroenterology, cardiovascular and pain relief for high-quality pharmaceutical products in novel drug delivery forms. With its own sales force and distribution partnerships,…

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Sanofi bolsters transplant business with acquisition of Kadmon for US$1.9 billion

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FRANCE – French drug maker Sanofi is on the move to acquire Kadmon Pharmaceuticals for US$1.9 billion, reinforcing its transplant medicines business with a newly approved treatment for graft-versus-host disease. This new deal comes in hot on the heels of Sanofi’s purchase of another US biotech, Translate Bio for US$3.2 billion. Sanofi said it has offered US$9.50 per share in cash for Kadmon, representing a total equity value of approximately US$1.9 billion on a fully diluted basis, and that both companies’ boards unanimously approved the transaction. “The acquisition supports Sanofi’s…

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Abbott acquires Walk Vascular a commercial-stage medical device company

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USA – Abbott, a global healthcare leader, announced that it has acquired Walk Vascular, LLC, a commercial-stage medical device company with a minimally invasive mechanical aspiration thrombectomy system designed to remove peripheral blood clots. Walk Vascular’s peripheral thrombectomy systems will be incorporated into Abbott’s existing endovascular product portfolio. Financial terms were not disclosed. “The acquisition of Walk Vascular fits well into our leading vascular device offerings and further drives Abbott’s ability to provide one-of-a-kind endovascular therapy solutions to improve patient care,” said Julie Tyler, Senior Vice President of Abbott’s vascular…

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