Japanese healthcare firm Taisho Pharmaceutical Holdings Co Ltd is said to be close to a $1.6 billion deal for Bristol-Myers Squibb Co’s French over-the-counter drugs business UPSA, Bloomberg reported on Sunday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
An agreement for the consumer-health business could be announced as soon as this week, according to the report bloom.bg/2QyHulF.
Bristol-Myers Squibb said in an email to Reuters that it does not comment on rumors and speculation, adding that the company is still considering options for the strategic review of UPSA that was announced in June.
A Taisho spokesman said the company could not comment on the report.
German drugmaker Stada and Italian healthcare company Angelini were among the final bidders for Bristol-Myers’ UPSA unit, according to a Reuters report in November.
By Bhanu Pratap
Source: Reuters
Airnov provides critical healthcare industries with high-quality, controlled atmosphere packaging, to protect their products from moisture and oxygen. The business has manufacturing facilities in the USA, France, China and India and employs around 700 people.
Takeda of Japan has partnered with Hong Kong-based Hutchmed, gaining the commercial rights to colorectal cancer drug fruquintinib outside of China for $400 million up front, plus $730 million in potential milestone payments. Takeda also will help develop fruquintinib, which can be applied to subtypes of refractory metastatic colorectal cancer, regardless of biomarker status, the companies said.
On April 3, Scangos, who’s been chief executive officer at Vir since the start of 2017, will hand over the reins to Marianne De Backer, Ph.D. De Backer comes over from Bayer, where she currently heads up pharmaceutical strategy, business development and licensing. Alongside her CEO appointment, De Backer is set to join Vir’s board of directors, the company said Wednesday.
