In many ways, Viatris is a product of the recent challenges faced by copycat drug developers.
In the world’s largest pharmaceutical market, the U.S., generics companies have found maintaining profits more difficult because of pressure on prices. At the same time, biosimilar sales remain relatively low due to the complicated patent webs that block many manufacturers from making inroads.
For some of the biggest, most diversified drug companies, these obstacles have raised questions about whether money would be better spent elsewhere. Biogen, for instance, announced in January plans to sell its stake in a joint venture focused on biosimilars. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis has also said it might offload its struggling generics unit Sandoz.
Viatris, meanwhile, was created through a merger between Pfizer’s generics business, called Upjohn, and Mylan, which had hit a series setbacks manufacturing- and pricing-related setbacks over the preceding few years. READ MORE
by Jacob Bell
Source: biopharmadive.com
One of the most compelling acquisition sagas in the pharma industry in recent times has come to an end, with Pfizer prevailing over Novo Nordisk in a fierce bidding war to acquire obesity biotech Metsera. After mulling over competing offers from both Pfizer and Novo Nordisk, Metsera has decided to go with the former’s $10bn offer.
French industrial group Anjac Health & Beauty has acquired food supplements supplier PharmaLinea and now comprises 17 complementary companies with R&D and production capacities in health, beauty, personal care, and food supplements.
The big pharma company will pay $221.50 per share in cash to buy Cidara, a US biotech that has developed a platform of drug-Fc conjugates (DFCs). The technology has allowed Cidara to build molecules with prolonged half-life whose efficacy does not require an immune response.
