Actelion and J&J Re-Enter Negotiations - Drug Discovery and Development

Actelion announced yesterday that it has re-entered negotiations with Johnson & Johnson regarding a “possible strategic transaction.”

Johnson & Johnson had approached the Swiss drugmaker in November in a reported takeover bid, but talks were said to have broken off early last week. Earlier this month, Sanofi also reportedly was considering a counter-bid, but J&J remained interested in reaching a deal before Christmas, according to Bloomberg, which quoted a source as saying that “J&J raised its bid above $250 a share … which would value Actelion at more than $27 billion.”

Actelion is a $17 billion biotech company focused largely on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) medication with a portfolio of oral, inhaled and intravenous treatments.

The company targets a range of disorders around the globe, including Type 1 Gaucher disease, Niemann-Pick type C disease, Digital Ulcers in patients suffering from systemic sclerosis, and mycosis fungoides in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Actelion reported yesterday that “there can be no assurance any transaction will result from these (latest) discussions,” adding that the company “does not intend to make any additional comments regarding these discussions unless and until it is appropriate to do so, or a formal agreement has been reached.”

Founded in late 1997, Actelion is headquartered in Allschwil/Basel, Switzerland and serves global markets including including Europe, the U.S., Japan, China, Russia and Mexico.

(Source: Actelion Ltd.)