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. | |||
