Allergan agrees to acquire AqueSys for $300 million
Life Sciences
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(MarketWatch) – Allergan PLC said late Thursday it agreed to acquire privately-held AqueSys Inc. for $300 million cash. AqueSys makes medical devices that are placed in the eye to reduce pressure associated with glaucoma. Allergan said that it will also pay milestone payments for regulatory approval and commercialization of AqueSys’s XEN45 device, which is expected to get U.S. approval in late 2016 or early 2017. Allergan plans to close the acquisition in the fourth quarter.
Giovanni Caforio, the former CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, is set to become the next board chairman of Novartis, which on Tuesday proposed the pharmaceutical industry veteran as its pick to replace Joerg Reinhardt in the role next year. Reinhardt has served as Novartis’ chair since 2013 and plans to retire when his 12-year term ends in 2025.
GE HealthCare has raised the curtain on two ultrasound systems equipped with artificial intelligence programs designed to assist in diagnosing conditions in women’s health, including obstetric exams. The Voluson Signature 20 and 18 imaging systems include AI tools capable of automatically identifying and annotating measurements of fetal anatomy.
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry have revealed a new sustainable method of manufacturing complex molecules that could reduce waste produced during drug production. The method published in Nature Chemistry could help to prevent severe side effects caused by drugs that can exist as enantiomers.
