Biogen to bulk up uncommon illness remedies with $7 billion Reata acquisition

Biogen is spending greater than $7 billion to purchase Reata Pharmaceuticals and bolster its uncommon illness remedies.

The Alzheimer’s therapy developer mentioned Friday it can pay $172.50 in money for every share of Reata in a deal it expects to shut by the top of this yr.

Plano, Texas-based Reata focuses on growing remedies that regulate mobile metabolism and take care of irritation in critical neurologic illnesses. It makes Skyclarys, an FDA-approved therapy for the neurologic dysfunction Friedreich’s ataxia.

Biogen places an enterprise worth of $7.3 billion on the acquisition, and mentioned it will barely dilute adjusted earnings per share this yr, and be roughly impartial subsequent yr earlier than turning into “significantly accretive” in 2025.

Regulators and Reata shareholders nonetheless have to approve the deal.

Biogen makes the a number of sclerosis remedies Techfidera and Tysabri in addition to the spinal muscular atrophy therapy Spinraza. It is also partnering with Japanese drugmaker Eisai to promote the brand new Alzheimer’s therapy Leqembi.

CEO Christopher Viehbacher mentioned in an announcement the corporate’s expertise growing and promoting uncommon illness remedies will assist broaden the marketplace for Skyclarys, which is being reviewed by European regulators.

Friedreich’s ataxia is attributable to a gene defect inherited from each mother and father, in line with Johns Hopkins Medicine. It can result in imaginative and prescient and listening to loss, bother strolling, and coronary heart issues. Many sufferers with it wind up in a wheelchair.

Viehbacher has been targeted on reducing prices at Biogen and growing the corporate’s pipeline of potential medicine since he turned CEO final November. Biogen has been coping with sliding gross sales for its a number of sclerosis remedies and the failed launch of its Alzheimer’s therapy Aduhelm.

Viehbacher mentioned on Tuesday, after the corporate reported better-than-expected second quarter outcomes, that Biogen is “laser focused” on altering the corporate’s share value trajectory.

“As I’ve heard from so many investors, our share price hasn’t really moved in 10 years, so that’s where we are focused on really driving … shareholder value,” he mentioned. “And that means allocating capital in a way that’s commensurate with that.”

Shares of Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. soared 52% to $165 in pre-market buying and selling Friday. Biogen Inc.’s inventory climbed 1% to $266.