Otsuka Holdings based in Japan has agreed to acquire Avanir Pharmaceuticals based in California for a price of more than $3.54 billion. The deal gives the company in Japan new neurological treatments.
Otsuka based in Tokyo will pay approximately $17 per share it announced in a statement on Tuesday. That price is 13% higher than the closing price for Avanir on Monday of $15.
This deal gives the drug maker in Japan access to a pipeline of Avanir treatments for migraines, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Avanir’s treatment Nuedexta has approval to treat PBA or pseudobulbar affect known as uncontrollable laughing or crying that is believed to be caused by different neurologic conditions such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.
Its treatment AVP-786 intended to treat agitation that is associated with Alzheimer’s is under preparation for clinical trials that are late stage.
An analyst in the healthcare industry said that two products that Avanir has are very unique and exciting which fit with the Japan-based Otsuka.
The two will help the pharmaceutical giant in Japan have sustainable growth after it loses its patent protection for Abilify.
Otsuka enters this deal after the share price of Avanir has quadrupled over the past year. The company in the U.S. had seen its shares surge more than 85% on September 15 after reporting the positive results of one of its studies.
Otsuka also manufactures Pocari Sweat drinks as well as Soyjoy nutritional bars. It receives close to 41% of its entire revenue in North America. Shares of Otsuka were up by 2.1% in Tokyo on Tuesday during trading.
Nuedexta represents nearly all of the revenue Avanir has and it brought in $94 million in sales during a 12-month period through the end of June 2014. That represented an increase of 50% from the same period a year ago.
This deal should close during the first three months of 2015.
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