valeant

Valeant looking at selling core asset to manage debt

pharmafile | November 2, 2016 | News story | Research and Development |  Takeda Pharmaceutical, Valeant pharmaceutical, salix 

Valeant is rumoured to be looking into selling its Salix drugs business to Takeda Pharmaceutical, with figures floated of a sale for around $10 billion. This figure would see Valeant take a $1.1 billion loss on the Salix business, coming a year and a half after Valeant agreed the $11.1 billion deal to acquire the business back in March 2015.

Valeant have had a difficult year and, only yesterday, suffered even more difficulties after news broke that the company’s ex-CEO may be investigated for fraud. Valeant’s shares are 90% down from previous highs last year and there has been mounting pressure for concerted action to pay down its debt, which presently stands at above $30 billion. A potential $10 billion sale, with a mooted $8.5 billion in upfront cash, would allow the company to manage this debt and allow them to focus on other parts of their company.

The Salix business focuses on gastrointestinal drugs. The unit’s biggest products are Xifaxan, an anti-diarrheal drug, which had sales of $200 million in second-quarter sales, and Uceris, an ulcerative colitis treatment, that had sales of $37 million. The two drugs combined produced 10% of Valeant’s second-quarter sales.

Advertisement

Takeda and Valeant had originally vied to acquire the Salix business so Takeda being interested in taking over the business comes as no surprise.  Valeant is working with investment bank Morgan Stanley on the potential sale, with another company potentially interested in bidding for the Salix business.

Ben Hargreaves

Related Content

takeda_world

Takeda to return molecules/ products for Japan to Amgen

Japanese firm Takeda Pharmaceutical (TSE: 4502) said it will return the rights to develop and …

Hundreds of jobs threatened after big pharma deals close

Fresh from deals worth a combined $34 billion, GSK and Salix Pharmaceuticals have announced company …

Valeant image

Valeant sprints ahead of Endo to secure Salix

Salix Pharmaceuticals has accepted an improved $11.1 billion takeover swoop from Valeant Pharmaceuticals to beat …

The Gateway to Local Adoption Series

Latest content