MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'acquisitions'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:50:12 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945202&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FR1Ow0TKVHtA%2F Depends who you ask. So more than 180 business development executives that handled dealmaking activities between 2006 and 2010 were queried and, not surprisingly, the most popular response from biotechs, or 36 percent of the respondents, was that licensees have greater power in driving deal terms thanks to current environment, according to a pair of dealmaking advisers who offer their views on Nature News Drug Discovery. But….the most popular response at drugmakers - 44 percent, to be prescise - was the opposite: they believe their negotiating power has increased with biotechs. Meanwhile, 55 percent at biotechs felt that upfront payments have dropped, compared with 31 percent who saw an increase. Over at pharma, 51 percent saw an uptick in upfront payments and only 32 percent saw a d... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945202 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:36:05 +0100 4945202 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953050&cid=t_141290_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FMzBp8c6lN5A%2F What happened in the M&A arena had interesting ramifications, but what didn’t happen might be equally significant: The overcrowded electronic health records market didn’t consolidate. Well over 200 EHR vendors are fighting for meaningful use business. How crowded is the field? As of mid-April, the federal government lists 393 Complete or Modular certified ambulatory EHR products, along with 182 certified inpatient Complete or Modular products. There were several good reasons for the non-event, but consolidation’s got to come soon, says Rob Tholemeier, senior research analyst at Crosstree Capital Partners, a Tampa-based corporate financial advisory firm. “There has never in the history of software been 200-plus companies selling similar functionality,” he ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953050 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:17:31 +0100 4953050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747609&cid=t_141290_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FQySUyINnlW8%2F Conclusions There is a final benefit to mergers: positive change. In our first acquisition, one of the benefits that we greatly underestimated was the buzz created by the MWG acquisition, which led to instant name recognition and customer access worldwide for Ocimum. We received a similar boost when we incorporated Gene Logic into our business; indeed, we retained Gene Logic’s name to capitalize on the genomics goodwill associated with the brand. Amalgamation of disparate entities—be it MWG, Isogen or Gene Logic—is possible only because of complementary competencies and customer bases. Ocimum has graduated from being a small bioinformatics company in India to being a leading, integrated, global, one-stop solution provider for genomics. The same path could have been a recipe for d... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747609 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:10:11 +0100 4747609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709424&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpR8BdZuodiU%2F Hello, everyone, and nice to see you again. A spot of rain is falling on the Pharmalot corporate campus, but as you know, our spirits are as sunny as ever and reinforced by a bit of wisdom from the Morning Mayor: ‘Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.’ So while we down our cup of stimulation, we present the news of the world in hopes this will help you cope with those meetings and deadlines. Have a great day and give someone a big smile… BioSante Says FDA Accepts Filing For Male Testerone Gel (Reuters) Merck To Outsource Work Done At Pennsylvania Plant (The Daily Item) Novartis Drug Wins FDA Panel OK For Rare Pancreatic Tumors (Bloomberg News) Pfizer Drug Wins FDA Committee Backing For Pancreatic Cancer (Bloomberg News) Roche’s Xenical Diet P... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709424 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:12:07 +0100 4709424 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540609&cid=t_141290_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FBzrO5Bv5yGM%2F Here’s an interesting one from the world of mergers and acquisitions: Human resources and payroll services and firm Automatic Data Processing (ADP) announced Tuesday that it has purchased EMR and practice management systems vendor AdvancedMD for an undisclosed sum. I’d say this is part of the expected consolidation that federally sanctioned certification was supposed to bring to the market, except that ADP’s only experience in healthcare to date has been in providing HR, payroll and benefits management services to approximately 13,500 physician practices. Those are the same types of services ADP offers to any business, so the AdvancedMD purchase represents uncharted territory for the company. ADP now bills itself as “uniquely positioned as an integrated, single-sour... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540609 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:54:48 +0100 4540609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536161&cid=t_141290_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FjawFHGRykQ0%2Fadvancedmd-sale-shows-new-side-of-consolidation.html Here’s an interesting one from the world of mergers and acquisitions: Human resources and payroll services and firm Automatic Data Processing (ADP) announced Tuesday that it has purchased EMR and practice management systems vendor AdvancedMD for an undisclosed sum. I’d say this is part of the expected consolidation that federally sanctioned certification was supposed to bring to the market, except that ADP’s only experience in healthcare to date has been in providing HR, payroll and benefits management services to approximately 13,500 physician practices. Those are the same types of services ADP offers to any business, so the AdvancedMD purchase represents uncharted territory for the company. ADP now bills itself as “uniquely positioned as an integrated, single-sour... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536161 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:54:48 +0100 4536161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394746&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FYECv4Iz6fOk%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day is on the way. And here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, we are, once again, hustling those short people off to their school houses. Wish us luck. Meanwhile, we are also trying to brew a much-needed cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Southern Pecan - and scour the news of the world. And so here are a few tidbits. Hope your day goes well and drop us a line about anything interesting… J&J Sales Hurt By Product Recalls (Reuters) Amgen Buys A Cancer Drugmaker: Are More Deals Coming? (Bloomberg News) Wolters Kluwer Forms Joint Venture With China’s Medicom (Philadelphia Inquirer) Savient Pharma Hires Lilly Oncology Exec As CEO (Reuters) Cost Of Treating Heart Disease Will Triple By 2030 (Bloomberg News) Clinical Data And Its Antidepr... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394746 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:02:18 +0100 4394746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294753&cid=t_141290_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2F-Xob9ZUrOJc%2Fdell-to-buy-imaging-firm-insite-one.html I've just learned that Dell is making a deeper push into health IT by announcing an acquisition of cloud-based PACS and medical imaging systems vendor InSite One. (Source: Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog) Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294753 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 23:02:06 +0100 4294753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179522&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAFtgFxHbZMM%2F Given the big patent expirations and thin pipelines, it is hardly surprising that Moody’s Investor Services has issued a report finding that the credit outlook for brand-name drugmakers remains negative for the next 12 to 18 months. More specifically, the ratings agency notes that hurdles for drug approvals remain high, given the ongoing emphasis on safety concerns; various governments are instituting austerity measures to deal with budget deficits and taking a tougher stance on drug price; mergers and acquisitions will continue to be financed with debt; and huge litigation settlements over illegal marketing underscore legal risks. And of course, these negative pressures are expected to remain through 2012, when the biggest patent expirations have largely passed. But as of June, the ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179522 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:11:28 +0100 4179522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098460&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FHCAp9mIKhM0%2F The US trade group representing the world’s biggest drugmakers are meeting today in India to review a recent proposal that endorsed the use of compulsory licensing to assure that prices - particularly for cancer and AIDS meds - remain affordable. The notion was floated two months ago by the Indian Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion in response to a growing wave of deals in which multi-national drugmakers have been acquiring Indian companies (back story). “Most of these companies are export oriented,” the DIPP wrote in its paper. “There is a concern that their takeover by multinationals will further orient them away from the Indian market, thus reducing domestic availability of the drugs being produced by them. This may weaken competition leading to headroom for incre... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098460 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:51:55 +0100 4098460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907781&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FP9TbPrw5Un8%2F Concerned that many of its drugmakers may be taken over in a wave of mergers and acquisitions, the Indian government is being urged to consider compulsory licensing to assure that prices - particularly for cancer and AIDS meds - remain affordable for its own citizens and as a way to support its economy. The idea is being floated by the Indian Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, which notes there were six large takeovers in the past four years, including Ranbaxy Laboratories, Shanta Biotech, Orchid Chemicals and Piramal Healthcare. “Most of these companies are export oriented,” DIPP writes. “There is a concern that their takeover by multinationals will further orient them away from the Indian market, thus reducing domestic availability of the drugs being produc... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907781 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:51:05 +0100 3907781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3903132&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCrRCUDEW_yE%2F Good morning, everyone. Nice to see you again. After a protracted stretch, we have returned to the Pharmalot corporate campus, where a spot of rain is falling. We are keeping busy, of course, with the usual routine. What about you? Meetings and deadlines beckon, no doubt. Meanwhile, a hearty thanks to the many folks who attended our panel discussion at the American Chemical Society meeting yesterday. And now, as the world turns… India’s Health Minister Worries About Takeovers And Rx Prices (DNA) Drug Combo Helped Kill Cancer In Mice (Reuters) Insulin Users Have Higher Cancer Risk (Bloomberg News) Drugs And Talk Therapy May Ease Adult ADHD (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3903132 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:08:40 +0100 3903132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573939&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fzo7NBIKNNso%2F How gloomy is the outlook among pharma execs? A new survey finds 82 percent predict big drugmakers won’t be able to innovate sufficiently internally to replenish their dwindling pipelines. And this deperation will lead to still more acquisitions - 68 percent believe substantial acquisition activity will occur within the next two years and 19 percent anticipating “major activity” within the next year. Those who believe the glass is half full think the improved economic situation means pharma should have confidence to proceed with mergers - 63 per cent think the climate for doing business and access to funding have improved in the past year. The survey of 381 pharma execs was just released by Marks & Clerk, a large patent law firm in the UK, so it’s hard to know ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573939 Tue, 18 May 2010 15:55:58 +0100 3573939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3137649&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FIu_VuYVe7SE%2F Hello, everyone. Hope your holiday break was fun and while you continue to unwind, we thought it might be helpful to offer you a few minutes of interesting reading. Meanwhile, we hope to brave the brisk winds to walk our faithful friend shortly. So we’ll leave you with these items for now and resume the usual routine tomorrow. Hope your weekend is going well and you enjoy yourselves… James Goddard, a former FDA commish who was credited with overhauling the agency’s methods for evaluating drugs, died last week of a brain hemorrhage. From 1966 to 1968, he cracked down on exaggerated drug ads, delayed approval of new drug applications until drugmakers backed them up with more testing, and campaigned to take ineffective drugs off the market. A fly in industry’s ointment, he was... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3137649 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:30:31 +0100 3137649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2314694&cid=t_141290_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclinicalit.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fmedecision-buying-hxtechnologies.html Care management software company MEDecision is buying health information exchange specialist HxTechnologies for an undisclosed sum. Read the press release here. (Source: Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog) Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2314694 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:57:00 +0100 2314694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216448&cid=t_141290_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclinicalit.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Famicas-to-buy-emageon-at-huge-premium.html The news is a couple of days old already, but I still felt like posting it: Radiology information systems and PACS vendor Amicas is purchasing Emageon for $39 million in cash. The price, $1.82 per share, represents nearly a 150 percent premium over the Friday close of 75 cents per share of Emageon stock. (The stock soared to $1.68 after the intraday announcement on Monday, and now is at about $1.76.)My limited exposure to the RIS/PACS market tells me that this is a good fit, as Emageon offers software for managing all sorts of imaging systems and related clinical documentation, including in cardiology. But a 150 percent premium? I wonder if Amicas is betting on the economic stimulus to boost the entire health IT sector? (Source: Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog) Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216448 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:24:00 +0100 2216448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040406&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F485518756%2F Amid the gloomy prospects discussed recently for biotechs, some interesting data emerges about the attraction they hold for big drugmakers. For instance, the pace of biotech takeovers has increased, with 23 acquisitions since July 1 compared with 19 in the first six months of 2008, according to Bloomberg News. And drugmakers were willing to pay at least twice the market value in more than 50 percent of the announced or completed takeovers of the past year. Of course, this may not cheer biotechs with dwindling funds and looking for government help (back stories here and here), but biotechs with cash and promising products can spurn offers from drugmakers hunting for bargains during the current financial crisis and, ultimately, command higher premiums than those lacking cash, according to Bl... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040406 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:56:42 +0100 2040406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1991563&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F465287822%2F You can guess some of the likely suspects, but in a lengthy investor report issued today, Deutsche Bank analyst Barbara Ryan posits that Merck and Pfizer will likely be acquirers, while Bristol-Myers Squibb and Wyeth are bait. The impetus: the approaching ‘patent cliff’ between 2010 and 2013, when many big drugmakers lost still more big sellers to cheap generics. Despite numerous cost-cutting and restructuring efforts, Ryan writes that pharma “will have to move aggressively to convert its cash and strong balance sheets into revenues and earnings to fill the void in the cliff period via M&A and mergers of equals, which will likely also serve to reduce usustainable substantial inefficiencies in the pharma/biotech model.” In her view, consolidation and more acqui... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1991563 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:03:41 +0100 1991563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1880160&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F420447096%2F The credit crunch may work to pharma’s advantage, according to Datamonitor. The average net debt as a proportion of capital employed for the top 20 drugmakers is 6 percent, while the average net debt carried by financial institutions is 95 percent, suggesting the fallout from the credit crisis will not be as significant in the pharmaceutical industry as in other more highly leveraged sectors. In addition, the average top 20 drugmaker has access to $7.5 billion in cash, equivalents and short-term investments, indicating the pharma sector as a whole is in a good position to fund operations and expansion, such as acquisitions (please click on the chart to get a closer look). Of course, most drugmakers have little choice but to snap up another company, given their dreary pipelines. (Sour... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1880160 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:15:03 +0100 1880160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1859774&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F412777948%2F Are you surprised? After the usual posturing and harsh language, the two drugmakers have agreed to a confidentiality agreement, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. This, of course, means a deal could be made, although nothing is guaranteed. You may recall that, two weeks ago, Alpharma rejected a sweetened bid of $37 a share from King, which was quickly labeled as “inadequate.” King had originally offered $33 and reacted by transforming its bid into a hostile offer. Sniffing at the offer, Alpharma insisted several other unnamed suitors had expressed interest, including one offer that exceeded the second bid from King. For its part, King maintained its bid was the only outstanding offer for Alpharma, and that it was not conditioned on financing (... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1859774 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:10:08 +0100 1859774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1790490&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F390571616%2F And so the end of the week is near. A wonderful time to clear the desk of those memos and reports. So as you get started, please enjoy a few items of interest. Meanwhile, we will break now and then today for important meetings and a chat with some industry types who are curious about our site. First, though, our cup of stimulation awaits. See you soon… Glaxo Creates New Cancer R&D Group (Reuters) Will New Sanofi CEO Mean A Big Merger? (Reuters) Drugs In Drinking Water Affect Tens Of Millions (The Associated Press) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1790490 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:02:26 +0100 1790490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1635179&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F338920284%2F The world’s largest maker of generic drugs is expanding still more. Word of the negotiations leaked yesterday and now an announcement has made it official. Teva has agreed to pay $66.50, or a total of $7.46 billion plus the assumption of net debt of approximately $1.5 billion. The share price is 42 percent higher than on Wednesday, before the talks became known. The deal enhances Teva’s position in the US and Europe, where Barr itself exanded significantly two years ago with a $2.5 billion acquisition of Pliva, a Croation drugmaker. The deal will “enhance our market share and leadership position in the U.S. and key global markets, further strengthen our portfolio and pipeline, and provide upside to our strategic plan, by allowing us to exceed our 20/20 goals for 2012,&#82... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1635179 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:26:02 +0100 1635179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1631576&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F337989790%2F A brief report in the Israeli business daily, Globes, cites unnamed sources as saying that the big generic drugmaker is in talks to acquire Barr Pharmaceuticals for between $7 billion and $7.5 billion, assuming Teva Pharmaceuticals pays a premium of 35 percent to 40 percent. Barr has a market cap of about $5 billion, Globes notes. Options trading in Barr was some 10 times the usual volume on Wednesday, according to Reuters, which adds that Barr August call options, which convey the right to buy Barr shares at prices of $50 and $55 apiece, were the most active. Barr stock closed at $46.82 yesterday. Of course, there has been increasing consolidation among generic drugmakers as generic usage rises in response to patent expirations on brand-name meds. Earlier this year, Teva paid $400 million... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1631576 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:58:34 +0100 1631576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1551896&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F321353771%2F The drugmaker looks increasingly attractive and a sale is a “distinct possibility,” according to Tim Anderson, a pharma analyst at Sanford Bernstein. In an investor note this morning, he writes that Bristol “could be well-positioned as a future M&A target as the industry’s patent ‘cliff’ draws closer - although management has not said it explicitly, we believe Bristol may be entertaining a future sale of the company as one possibility.” The patent cliff, by the way, refers to patent expirations in 2012 of two of its big-selling drugs - the Avapro blood pressure treatment and the Plavix blood thinner. Also that year, Bristol is scheduled to return US rights to the Abilify antipsychotic to its partner, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. But relatives to it... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1551896 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:18:01 +0100 1551896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1370867&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F270115415%2F And why not? The US dollar is playing how-low-can-you-go and drugmakers are distracted as they scramble to cut costs. “It’s like the Manhattan real estate market,” David Webster of Webster Consulting, tells Reuters. “What keeps it afloat are the Japanese and Europeans or whoever seems to be making money worldwide and whoever has a strong currency.” Here are the examples: Takeda Pharmaceutical agreed to pay $8.8 billion for Millenium Pharmaceuticals. Eisai recently acquired MGI Pharma for $3.9 billion. AstraZeneca bought MedImmune for $15.6 billion. Roche acquired Ventana Medical Systems for $3.4 billion. Glaxo paid $1.65 billion for Reliant Pharmaceuticals. And Novartis will buy a 77 percent stake in Alcon for up to $39 billion. Currency is in their favor. The... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1370867 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:55:56 +0100 1370867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1218229&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F231836752%2F Only a year ago, private-equity groups had a healthy appetite for biotechs and little competition, naming their price for upstart firms desperate for cash, then quickly selling them to big drugmakers for hefty profits. Now, there are signs private investor groups are being squeezed out of the market they helped create, resulting in a dramatic shift in investment strategy in the pharmaceutical industry, The Star-Ledger of New Jersey writes. “Competition from private-equity funds that had a ready source of cash is not there,” Marvin Artis, a pharmaceutical mergers and acquisition specialist at the Reed Smith global law firm, tells the paper. “The deals that require a huge amount of financing, they are just hard to get done.” A global credit crunch tied to the subpri... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1218229 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:04:00 +0100 1218229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1073281&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F195909105%2F That’s a line from an old song by The Doors, but it seems to apply, increasingly, to big pharma. A piece in The Wall Street Journal (subscription may be required) pulls together a string of numbers and comments to further this view. Basically, there’s nothing terribly new to say - patents on big sellers are set to expire and there are few replacements (see chart). Coping is the problem. “I think the industry is doomed if we don’t change,” Sidney Taurel, Eli Lilly’s ceo, tells the paper. Overwhelmed drugmakers, however, continue to rely on old models, especially for research, and have spent a great deal of time and energy on raising prices; paying lobbyists and, more recently, complaining about the FDA. “The era that created the modern pharmaceutica... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1073281 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:20:10 +0100 1073281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1057475&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35779&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pharmamanufacturing.com%2Fonpharma%2F%3Fp%3D1392 Friday will bring a new White Paper,  ”The Continuing Evolution of the Pharmaceutical Industry: Career Challenges and Opportunities” by Michael Steiner et al, of RegentAtlantic Capital LLC.  that tackles a critical topic: job security for the senior-level professional in an industry that’s undergoing major transition. Instead of rehashing all the “transformations” going on within the industry, it [...] (Source: On Pharma) On Pharma blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1057475 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:39:26 +0100 1057475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1034913&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F186874421%2F The up-and-coming drugmaker is paying a hefty premium in this cash and stock deal - Celgene is agreeing to pay $72 a share, way above the $49.28 closing price on Friday (interestingly, Pharmion shares closing up nearly 5 percent for the day and continued rising in after-hours trading). But Celgene sought the deal because the move furthers its goal of marketing both oncology and hematology meds. “The acquisition of Pharmion is an exceptional strategic fit that will expand our role as a leader in hematology and oncology,” says Sol Barer, Celgene’s ceo and chairman, in a statement. “Our combined global infrastructure will leverage the therapeutic and commercial potential of Pharmion’s products, particularly Vidaza, which has the potential to become a major global... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1034913 Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:34:40 +0100 1034913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=935392&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F167023859%2F Those are the market rumors that prompted shares in the French drugmaker to jump 3 percent today. The move, if confirmed, would likely be seen as a prelude to an all-out bid. Pfizer may be the world’s biggest drugmaker, but is struggling thanks to generic rivals, patent expirations and lab failures. Not that Sanofi is such a rosy target. The failure to win FDA approval for the Acomplia diet pill, which was rejected over psychiatric side effects, left the drugmaker saddled with a US sales force with less to do than expected. Moreover, such an acquisition would be a huge deal, given that Sanofi’s market cap is about $117 billion. Nonetheless, two of Sanofi’s largest shareholders - the Oil company Total and the cosmetics firm L’Oreal, which jointly own about 23 percen... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=935392 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:44:57 +0100 935392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=811318&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F146208050%2F The drugmaker continues to be a source of speculation, particularly for Credit Suisse analyst Catherine Arnold, who today issued an investor note in which she argues Wyeth is “could be the top major pharma takeout candidate.” She notes that Wyeth shares have plunged 19 percent since the FDA nixed two different product approvals, which she believes spells opportunity. “Wyeth is undervalued even in our worst case scenario…shares offer more than 40 percent upside potential in a takeout scenario,” writes Arnold, noting that patent protection on the Effexor XR antidepressant, a $3.7 billion seller last year, expires in 2011. “Pfizer, in particular, would be a fitting takeover partner.” As she sees it, uncertainty surrounding Wyeth makes it easy to over... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=811318 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:33:40 +0100 811318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=801643&cid=t_141290_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F144435928%2F Shares in Germany’s biggest drugmaker were up as much as 4.1 percent in trading today on speculation Novartis may make a bid, Bloomberg News reports. In fact, stock in Bayer, which last year bought German rival Schering AG for about $22.9 billion, has risen more than 30 percent this year as the acquisition boosts earnings at its health-care unit. “A rumor Novartis may bid 70 euros ($94.36) a share for Bayer is doing the rounds,” Oliver Schmidt, a trader at Landesbank Rheinland-Pfalz in Germany, tells the wire. Bayer spokesman Christian Hartel declined to comment. Novartis spokesman John Gilardi says the drugmaker “never comments on market speculation.” Analysts says a takeover by Novartis may not be imminent, because Bayer makes plastics and farm chemicals i... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=801643 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:25:15 +0100 801643