Following last week’s $14 billion acquisition of Karuna Therapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb announced it will acquire RayzeBio for $4.1 billion. RayzeBio is a San Diego, California-based clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical therapeutics (“RPT”) company with an innovation-leading position in actinium-based RPTs and a pipeline of potentially first-in-class and best-in-class drug development programs.
The company’s current pipeline programs are targeting the treatment of solid tumors, including gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs), small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and other cancers. There remains a high, unmet need for more effective treatments in solid tumors, and RPTs enable a precision approach to patient treatment. RPTs bind to tumor cells and deliver targeted radiation to induce cancer cell death. Actinium-based RPTs offer potential advantages over currently available RPTs since the high potency and short firing range of the alpha-emitter create the possibility for stronger efficacy and more targeted delivery.
“This transaction enhances our increasingly diversified oncology portfolio by bringing a differentiated platform and pipeline, and further strengthens our growth opportunities in the back half of the decade and beyond,” said Christopher Boerner, Ph.D., CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb. “Radiopharmaceutical therapeutics are already transforming cancer care, and RayzeBio is at the forefront of pioneering the application of this novel modality. We look forward to supporting and accelerating RayzeBio’s preclinical and clinical programs and advancing its highly innovative radiopharmaceutical platform.”
“Acquiring RayzeBio’s differentiated actinium-based radiopharmaceutical platform will establish Bristol Myers Squibb’s presence in one of the most promising and fastest-growing new modalities for the treatment of patients with solid tumors – delivering radioactive payloads to cancer cells in a targeted manner,” said Samit Hirawat, M.D., executive vice president, chief medical officer, drug development of Bristol Myers Squibb. “In addition, RayzeBio’s platform has the potential to be a significant IND engine, generating several therapeutic candidates in the future by leveraging our global drug development capabilities and infrastructure.”
Ken Song, M.D., president and CEO of RayzeBio, said, “Despite therapeutic advances in recent years, the need for more effective treatments in solid tumors persists, and radiopharmaceutical therapeutics are positioned to be an important next wave of innovation in oncology therapy. Bristol Myers Squibb’s well-established presence in oncology and deep expertise in developing, commercializing and manufacturing treatments on a global scale makes it the ideal partner for RayzeBio at this important moment in our evolution. I am excited to see what our team achieves as part of Bristol Myers Squibb.”
RayzeBio’s portfolio includes:
RayzeBio is completing construction of a state-of-the-art in-house manufacturing facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, and GMP drug production is expected to begin in the first half of 2024.
The transaction is expected to be treated as a business combination and to be dilutive to Bristol Myers Squibb’s non-GAAP diluted earnings per share by approximately $0.13 in 2024. Bristol Myers Squibb expects to finance the acquisition with primarily new debt issuance. Bristol Myers Squibb’s cash flows and strong financial profile enable continued commitment to strong investment-grade credit ratings and investment for growth through business development opportunities and distributions to shareholders through ongoing dividends and share repurchases.
Under the terms of the merger agreement, Bristol Myers Squibb will promptly commence a tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of RayzeBio common stock at a price of $62.50 per share in an all-cash transaction for a total equity value of approximately $4.1 billion, or $3.6 billion net of estimated cash acquired. RayzeBio’s Board of Directors unanimously recommends that RayzeBio’s shareholders tender their shares in the tender offer.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions, including the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of RayzeBio’s common stock and the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Following the successful closing of the tender offer, Bristol Myers Squibb will acquire all remaining shares of RayzeBio that are not tendered into the tender offer through a second-step merger at the same price of $62.50 per share.
BofA Securities, Inc., is serving as financial advisor to Bristol Myers Squibb, and Covington & Burling LLP is serving as legal counsel. Centerview Partners LLC is serving as financial advisor to RayzeBio, and Cooley LLP is serving as legal counsel.
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