2019’s Biggest Healthcare Deals, by Sector
2020 has just begun, which means it’s time to look back at the healthcare M&A landscape of 2019. Just three days into the new year, nearly 1,780 deals are already on the books for 2019. More deals will turn up as we search our many sources, but the number likely won’t top the record of 1,900-plus set in 2018. Thanks to the multi-billion-dollar deals announced in the Biotech and Pharmaceutical sectors, 2019 will set a new spending record. Preliminary data show $399.1 billion was spent on healthcare acquisitions last year, about 20% higher than in 2018. We expect that number to rise as we go through the year and the 10Ks and quarterly reports come out. It’s possible the... Read More »
Cancer Treatments Are Driving Biopharmaceutical M&A
It’s been a busy year for mergers and acquisitions in the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical industries. Combined spending on M&A is close to $268 billion mid-way through December, with 229 transactions reported. Although the number of deals is 34% lower than 2018’s combined total of 345, spending skyrocketed 62%, from just $165 billion in all of 2018. Two recent deals from major drug manufacturers highlight what’s behind the trend. On December 9, Sanofi announced its $2.5 billion acquisition of Synthorx, Inc. (NASDAQ: THOR), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on treating cancer and autoimmune disorders. The price consists of $68 per share, a 172% premium to... Read More »
GSK Divests Two Travel Vaccines
GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE: GSK) announced recently it is selling two travel vaccines to Bavarian Nordic for $334.7 million upfront, plus a potential $1.06 billion in milestone payments. The sale included rabies vaccine Rabipur (tradename Rabavert in the United States) and Encepur, for the prevention of tick-borne encephalitis. GSK obtained the vaccines as part of a 2015 deal with Novartis (NYSE: NVS). GSK divested its oncology business to Novartis for $300 million and gained the vaccines in return. According to the company’s annual report, GSK generated $7.58 billion from its vaccine segment in 2018. Both vaccines will continue to be manufactured primarily at GSK’s Marburg site in... Read More »
Ra Pharmaceuticals Targeted in $2.1 Billion Acquisition
The global biopharmaceutical company UCB (Brussels: UCB) announced it is acquiring Ra Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RARX) for $2.1 billion. Ra Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops novel therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases caused by excessive or uncontrolled activation of the complement system, a critical component of the innate immune system. Ra Pharmaceuticals shareholders will receive $48.00 for each held share (approx. $2.5 billion or EUR 2.2 billion), with transaction value at $ 2.1 billion or EUR 2 billion, net of Ra Pharma cash. Ra Pharma reported a trailing 12-month revenue of $2.5 million. This acquisition will give UCB a number of high-value... Read More »
Alder BioPharmaceuticals Merges with H. Lundbeck in $1.95 Billion Deal
H. Lundbeck A/S (OMX: LUN), the specialty pharmaceutical giant based in Denmark, announced its first acquisition in over a year. The company revealed it was buying Alder BioPharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALDR), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming migraine treatment through the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutic antibodies. One product candidate is ALD1910, a monoclonal antibody for migraine prevention. Lundbeck gains Alder’s eptinezumab product, an investigational monoclonal antibody for migraine prevention that it will develop and launch worldwide in the upcoming years. Lundbeck expects to see significant growth in its brain... Read More »Schedule a demo
Gain access to the best healthcare and long-term care investment intelligence, data, and analysis.
