Celgene Sells Otezla to Advance its Sale to Bristol-Myers Squibb

Celgene Sells Otezla to Advance its Sale to Bristol-Myers Squibb

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) has agreed to take Otezla (apremilast) off of Celgene Corporation’s (NASDAQ: CELG) hands. The Federal Trade Commission ruled the drug had to be divested due to concerns over competition with Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (NYSE: BMY) pipeline. Bristol-Myers announced it was buying Celgene last January for $74 billion. In this deal, Amgen gains the worldwide rights to Otezla, the only oral, non-biologic treatment for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and certain related assets and liabilities. Sales of Otezla in 2018 were $1.6 billion and the drug has intellectual property exclusivity in the United States at least through 2028. Amgen will pay $13.4 billion in cash,... Read More »
Healthcare Dollar Volume Exploded in January

Healthcare Dollar Volume Exploded in January

Dollar volume for healthcare deals announced in January was ridiculous, topping $90 billion. We don’t see figures like that in most quarters. The outsized total results from a single deal, of course. Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (NYSE: BMY) $74 billion acquisition of Celgene Corp. (NASDAQ: CELG) made up 81% of the month’s total. Suffice it to say we won’t see many (or any) more months like this. The Hospital sector made a strong contribution, nearly $6 billion. The biggest deal wasn’t a domestic one, however. Australia’s second largest private hospital network, Healthscope Ltd. (ASX: HSO), was acquired by Brookfield Business Partners LP (NYSE: BBU) for approximately $4.1 billion. Two REITs are... Read More »
Biotechnology Gets the Usual January Boost

Biotechnology Gets the Usual January Boost

The Biotechnology sector roared to life in 2017, posting a record 209 transactions. That’s 20% higher than the 174 deals announced in 2016. The previous record for the sector was set in 2009, with 193 transactions announced in the space. Spending for those 209 deals in 2017 didn’t set new records, but did post an impressive $54.5 billion in disclosed prices. That’s 283% higher than the $18.6 billion recorded in all of 2016, but not close to the secctor’s annual spending record of $93.9 billion, set in 2008. Every January, the Biotechnology Showcase is held in San Francisco, concurrent with the J.P. Morgan Healthcare conference. And every January, this sector sees... Read More »