Japan’s Takeda to buy US cancer drug maker Ariad

TOKYO: Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. said on Monday it would buy cancer drug maker Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc. in a deal valued at $5.20 billion, to beef up its oncology pipeline.
Ariad stock was up 74.7 percent at $23.98 in premarket trading.
Takeda has agreed to pay $24 in cash for each Ariad share, a premium of about 75 percent to its Friday close.
Ariad’s leukemia drug, Iclusig, which is expected to generate sales of $170 million-$180 million in 2016, came under fire in October for “staggering” price increases.
A US Food and Drug Administration decision on its lung cancer treatment Brigatinib, which is being touted as a potential blockbuster, is expected by April 29.
Cancer treatment is a target for many large drugmakers, with high prices being paid for promising assets, such as Medivation, which was bought by Pfizer Inc. for $14 billion.
Takeda’s negotiations to acquire Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc’s Salix stomach-drug business have stalled over price disagreements, Reuters reported in November, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Ariad deal, which Takeda plans to fund by taking on $4 billion in new debt as well as existing cash, is expected to close by the end of February.
Ariad had long-term debt of about $522 million as of Sept. 30, according to a regulatory filing.
The equity value of the deal, which is expected to add to Takeda earnings in 2018, is $4.66 billion, according to Reuters calculations.