Novartis (SWX: NOVN), a Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company, is to acquire The Medicines Company (NASDAQ: MDCO), a US-based biopharmaceutical company, for USD 9.7 billion.
The deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions, has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.
Until closing, Novartis and The Medicines Company will continue to operate as separate and independent companies.
With the acquisition, Novartis will add inclisiran, a potentially transformational investigational cholesterol-lowering therapy whose first-in-class siRNA biological mechanism enables unique twice-yearly, subcutaneous dosing regimen and integration into routine healthcare professional visits.
The Medicines Company recently announced data from its comprehensive clinical program consisting of three Phase III trials (ORION-9, 10 and 11) for inclisiran involving over 3,600 high-risk patients with ASCVD and FH. In all trials, inclisiran demonstrated potent and durable LDL-C reduction with an excellent safety and tolerability profile2,3,4. Furthermore, inclisiran’s potentially first-in-class, twice-yearly dosing schedule allows administration during patients’ routine visits to their healthcare professionals and will likely contribute to improved patient adherence and sustained, lower LDL-C levels2,3,4.
The company expects to file regulatory submissions in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2019 and in Europe in the first quarter of 2020. An ongoing clinical trial (ORION-4) will evaluate the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality benefits of inclisiran5.
FinSMEs
25/11/2019