Drug Sponsors

Forest Laboratories CEO Howard Soloman to retire

Friday, May 24, 2013 10:02 AM

Forest Laboratories, an international pharmaceutical company, announced that Howard Solomon will retire as chief executive officer and president, effective December 31, 2013. Solomon has served as CEO since 1977, chairman since 1998 and president since 2010.

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Merck announces $5B accelerated share repurchase

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 03:46 PM

Merck, a global healthcare company known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, has entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement (ASR) with Goldman, Sachs & Co. to repurchase $5 billion of Merck's common stock. Proceeds from the company's recently concluded debt offering were used to execute the ASR, which is part of Merck's previously announced $15 billion share repurchase program.

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eFFECTOR Therapeutics raises $45M in series A financing

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 11:32 AM

eFFECTOR Therapeutics, a newly established biopharmaceutical company, has completed a $45 million Series A financing. eFFECTOR is focused on inventing and developing small molecule drugs to selectively regulate protein synthesis, also known as translation, with an initial emphasis on cancer. 

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Elan announces transactions to transform the company

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 10:42 AM

Elan, a biotechnology company based in Ireland, announced a series of transactions designed to decisively transform and advance the company. Upon shareholder approval, the totality of these strategically driven decisions, in addition to the Theravance royalty participation agreement, the dividend pass through, and the completed Tysabri transaction, will form a dynamic and unique business foundation for Elan in the years ahead.

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Bayer to acquire Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk

Friday, May 17, 2013 11:56 AM

Bayer has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk, a Darmstadt, Germany-based privately held pharmaceutical company specializing in pharmacy-only herbal medicines.

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Astellas outlines plan to reshape its research framework, reallocate resources

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 02:44 PM

Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma has announced plans to reshape its research framework by introducing new initiatives to enhance the ability to generate innovative drugs.

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GSK deal aims to grow business in Asia

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 01:30 PM

DKSH's Business Unit Healthcare, a market expansion services provider for healthcare companies seeking to grow their business in Asia, has signed an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline to provide contract sales services in both private clinics and trade channel for its antibiotic product line.

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Elan CEO says $1 billion royalty deal with Theravance a unique opportunity

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 01:12 PM

Elan has announced a royalty agreement with Theravance, by which Elan will make a one-time cash payment of $1 billion to Theravance in exchange for a 21% participation interest in the potential future royalty payments from four respiratory programs for which Theravance has partnered with GlaxoSmithKline, when and if received by Theravance.

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Quintiles prices IPO at $40 per share

Thursday, May 9, 2013 11:40 AM

Quintiles has announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 23,684,210 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $40.00 per share. The shares of Quintiles common stock are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the single-letter symbol "Q” on May 9, 2013.  

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Takeda to acquire Inviragen

Thursday, May 9, 2013 10:38 AM

Takeda Pharmaceutical has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Inviragen for an upfront payment of $35 million, and future payments of up to $215 million linked to the progress of clinical development and achievement of key commercial milestones.

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