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Valeant goes hostile over Allergan hunt

pharmafile | June 19, 2014 | News story | Sales and Marketing Allergan, Botox, Valeant, hostile, takeover 

Valeant Pharmaceuticals has turned hostile in its bid to acquire Botox maker Allergan by employing strong-arm tactics in an attempt to seal a deal.

Valeant is making a $54 billion cash-and-stock bid for California-based Allergan, but this has not been enough to sway the board which is still holding fast.

The bid is backed by Bill Ackman, the activist investor whose Pershing Square hedge fund owns just under 10% of Allergan. He will now attempt to replace most of the board and force a merger with Laval, Quebec-based Valeant.

“This offer, together with Pershing Square’s ongoing efforts to call a special meeting of Allergan stockholders, is part of Valeant’s clear path to complete a transaction,” Michael Pearson, Valeant’s chief executive officer, says in a statement.

Allergan however is urging its shareholders not to take any action, and says its board of directors will ‘review the offer’. Allergan shareholders would receive $72 in cash and 0.83 shares of Valeant for every Allergan share they own, should the deal go through.

Pearson adds: “We believe Allergan’s stockholders should have the opportunity to express their views and we are confident [they] will support this combination.” Shareholders in Allergan have until 15 August to accept the offer, though this can be extended.

Valeant has twice raised its bid since April to buy Allergan as part of its strategy to become one of the world’s five biggest pharma companies.

But the firm, famous for its Botox brand that has now stretched beyond cosmetics and into more serious medical conditions, has rejected both of those offers.

Valeant now feels it has little recourse but to take its attempt hostile. A special meeting to remove most of Allergan’s current board could come before the end of the year, Valeant explained yesterday in a conference call outlining its plan.

This would remove the block or ‘poison pill’ currently being pursued by Allergan, all but ensuring a successful takeover for the Canadian firm.

Ben Adams 

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