Mergers & acquisitions
Shares of Shire Plc spiked overnight after increased rumors that Japanese pharma giant Takeda could be closer to making a deal to acquire the rare disease company.
Ferring Pharmaceuticals is buying Rebiotix. As part of the deal, will acquire Rebiotix’s lead program, RBX2660, a non-antibiotic treatment to prevent recurring Clostridium difficile infection (CDI).
Building on a four-year-old relationship Roche struck a deal to acquire a regenerative therapy program for multiple sclerosis from Inception Sciences, a drug discovery engine co-founded with Versant Ventures in 2011.
Pfizer Inc. may have a new potential buyer for its consumer health business unit. Mega-consumer goods company Procter & Gamble is reportedly interested in acquiring the business.
Scott Smith, Celgene’s chief operating officer, abruptly resigned Monday. His decision to leave appears to be prompted by a restructuring of the company’s executive team.
Another major healthcare buyout may be on the horizon. According to reports, Walmart may be in talks to buy health insurer Humana.
Yesterday’s news that Takeda Pharmaceuticals was considering acquiring Shire is raising the possibility of a bidding war. But it’s also having decidedly different effects on the two companies’ stock prices.
Following an agreement to sell its share of a consumer health business unit to GlaxoSmithKline for $13 billion new Novartis Chief Executive Officer Vasant Narasimhan has some excess cash to use to shape the company in the coming years.
Shire stock prices jumped up to 26 percent on rumors that Takeda Pharmaceuticals was considering a buyout.
GlaxoSmithKline walked away from a potential deal to acquire Pfizer’s consumer health unit four days ago and instead opted to acquire the stake controlled by Novartis. The deal will give GSK 100 percent ownership of the business unit.
PRESS RELEASES