Datapoint: the UK’s biggest biotech buyouts

Sanofi’s acquisition of Kymab, announced this morning, represents the third-biggest takeout of a UK biotech company. In terms of up-front value it is bettered only by the takeovers of Celltech and Cambridge Antibody Technology, deals that closed over 15 years ago. The most recent big UK acquisition was in 2019, when Biogen bought Nightstar for $800m. Allergan’s acquisition of Arrow, and Bayer’s Kandy takeout, were also valued around $1bn, but only part of this was paid up front.

Acquisitions of UK biotech companies
Date Acquiring company Target Up-front value ($m)
May 2004 UCB Celltech Group 2,770
May 2006 Astrazeneca Cambridge Antibody Technology 1,300
Jan 2021 Sanofi Kymab 1,100
Jan 2000 Celltech Medeva 915
Jul 2003 Chiron Powderject 878
Mar 2019 Biogen Nightstar Therapeutics 800
Apr 2011 Supergen Astex Therapeutics 710
Jun 2006 Novartis Neutec Pharma 606
Jul 2008 Sanofi Acambis 512
Feb 2011 Kyowa Kirin Prostrakan 456
Source: EvaluatePharma.

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