Sanofi to acquire Qunol for $1.4 billion

• Qunol is headquartered in Pine Brook, New Jersey. 
• The company's products are manufactured in the United States, and the ingredients come from the USA, Germany, India, Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, and China.  

July 27, 2023 Sanofi to acquire Qunol^®, a fast-growing U.S. brand in the healthy aging segment

• Transaction brings Qunol^®, a trusted, profitable double-digit growth and market-leading brand in health & wellness to Sanofi’s CHC U.S. portfolio 
• Addition of Qunol’s CoQ10 and Turmeric products strengthens Sanofi’s CHC Vitamin, Mineral and Supplements category, one of the largest and fastest-growing consumer health categories in the U.S.

Paris, July 28, 2023. Sanofi announces today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ownership of Qunol^®, a U.S.-based, market-leading brand in health & wellness. This transaction will strengthen Sanofi’s Consumer Healthcare’s (CHC) Vitamin, Mineral and Supplements (VMS) category, one of the largest and fastest-growing consumer health categories in the U.S., focusing on the active ‘healthy aging’ segment. With Qunol’s CoQ10 in heart health and Turmeric in joint health, CHC at Sanofi adds a trusted, profitable double-digit growth brand to its U.S. portfolio, focused on chronic conditions with growing consumer demand. With this acquisition, Sanofi continues to pursue growth opportunities and value creation for its consumer healthcare business.

===Horizon Pharma (HZNP) to be acquired by Amgen (AMGN) for $116.50/share in cash

 

Horizon Pharma no longer in merger discussions with Sanofi (SNY)

Sanofi S.A. (SNY) regularly evaluates a wide variety of business development opportunities and this has included the evaluation of a possible transaction involving Horizon. As transaction price expectations do not meet our value creation criteria, Sanofi announces it is no longer in discussions with Horizon and it does not intend to make an offer for Horizon.

Horizon Pharma: Amgen (AMGN) confirms it will acquire HZNP for $116.50/share in cash 

• The board of directors of Horizon Therapeutics and the board of directors of Amgen are pleased to announce that they have reached agreement on the terms of a cash offer for the Company by Pillartree Limited ("Acquirer Sub"), a newly formed private limited company wholly owned by Amgen, which is unanimously recommended by the Company Board and pursuant to which Acquirer Sub will acquire the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of the Company. Under the terms of the Acquisition, each Company Shareholder at the Scheme Record Time will be entitled to receive:
  • $116.50 for each Company Share in cash
• The Acquisition represents: a premium of approximately 47.9% to the closing price of $78.76 per Company Share on November 29, 2022 (being the last closing price per Company Share prior to the Company's issuance of an announcement of a possible offer under Rule 2.4 of the Irish Takeover Rules); and a premium of approximately 19.7% to the closing price of $97.29 per Company Share on December 9, 2022.
• The Acquisition values the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of the Company at approximately $27.8 billion on a fully diluted basis and implies an enterprise value of approximately $28.3 billion.
• Amgen Background to and Reasons for the Acquisition: Generates robust cash flow (approximately $10 billion combined over twelve months through Q3 2022)[1] to support capital allocation priorities, including ongoing investment in innovation and continued dividend growth while sustaining a commitment to an investment grade credit rating; Accelerates revenue growth and is expected to be accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share from 2024; and Increases efficiency for the Combined Group, leading to an estimated annual pre-tax cost reduction of at least $500 million by the end of the third fiscal year following Completion.

Sanofi launches new corporate brand and logo

 A little over a year ago, Pfizer changed its logo and corporate websites and today Sanofi is making the same move.

 

new (L), old (R)

The French Big Pharma's rebrand centers on a clean, lower case new logo with two purple dots at the start and end of its name.

The two purple dots “embody the scientific journey between a starting point and a finish line—the eureka moment where innovative solutions are unlocked to impact people’s lives,” Sanofi said in a statement.

Translate Bio (TBIO) to be acquired by Sanofi (SNY) for $3.2 billion

• Sanofi will pay $38 per share in cash, or $3.2 billion
• Translate Bio specializes in messenger RNA technology, the same used by Moderna and BioNTech in their Covid-19 vaccines.
• IPO on  June 28, 2018

 

 

 

 

Already partners, in June 2018 Sanofi and Translate Bio entered into a collaboration and exclusive licence agreement to develop mRNA vaccines, which was further expanded in 2020 to broadly address current and future infectious diseases.

Under the collaboration, there are two ongoing mRNA vaccine clinical trials: the COVID-19 vaccine Phase 1/2 study (with results expected in Q3 2021) and the mRNA seasonal influenza vaccine Phase 1 trial (with results due in Q4 2021).

The acquisition of Massachusetts-based Translate Bio will also help fast track Sanofi’s plans for its recently announced mRNA Centre of Excellence.

CureVac (CVAC) and EU in advanced talks for 225 million Covid-19 vaccine doses

• CureVac has said its Covid-19 vaccine could be ready for the public by mid-2021

Shares of CureVac NV soared Thursday after the German biotech firm said it was in advanced talks for the supply of at least 225 million doses of a potential Covid-19 vaccine to EU member states.

CureVac said talks with the EC, the European Union’s executive arm, include an option to supply an additional 180 million doses, once the mRNA-based vaccine has proven to be safe and effective against Covid-19, bringing the total to up to 405 million doses.

The EC is also in talks with Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and France’s Sanofi (SNY) for their vaccines under development. It also reached an agreement last week with AstraZeneca (AZN) to buy at least 300 million doses of its potential Covid-19 vaccine which it is developing with Oxford University.

CureVac (CVAC) is specializing in the messenger RNA technology that is the basis of many of the leading Covid-19 vaccine programs, including Moderna Inc. (MRNA) and BioNTech S.E. (BNTX).

“In the current pandemic, we are very pleased to further strengthen the European Commission’s endeavor to provide rapid access to a safe and effective vaccine against the Covid-19 virus across Europe and beyond,” Franz-Werner Haas, chief executive of CureVac said.

“Assuming positive results from our ongoing clinical trials and approval from the regulatory authorities, we are fully committed to ensure broad access to our vaccine,” he added.

Backed by Microsoft founder and billionaire Bill Gates, CureVac listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market on Aug. 14, raising $213 million.

In July, GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) said it was taking a stake in CureVac, the latest move by a major drugmaker to boost capabilities to fight pandemics. FTSE 100-listed Glaxo said CureVac’s mRNA technology would complement its own capabilities as it inked a deal worth up to £866 million ($1.09 billion).

Sanofi (SNY) reported earnings on Thur 6 Feb 20 (b/o)

 ** charts after earnings **

 Sanofi beats by $0.06, reports revs in-line; guides FY20 EPS above consensus

Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of 1.34 per share, 0.06 better than the S&P Capital IQ Consensus of 1.28; revenues rose 6.8% year/year to 9.61 bln vs the 9.65 bln S&P Capital IQ Consensus.

Co issues upside guidance for FY20, sees EPS of +5% yr/yr to ~6.29 vs. 6.25 S&P Capital IQ Consensus.

Sanofi's brain-penetrant BTK inhibitor meets primary endpoint of Phase 2 trial

The Sanofi Phase 2b study evaluating its investigational BTK (Bruton's tyrosine kinase) inhibitor (SAR442168), an oral, brain-penetrant, selective small molecule, achieved its primary endpoint. In the trial, SAR442168 significantly reduced disease activity associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SAR442168 was well tolerated with no new safety findings.

The BTK inhibitor is thought to modulate both adaptive (B-cell activation) and innate (CNS microglial cells) immune cells linked to neuroinflammation in the brain and spinal cord.

Four Phase 3 trials will investigate the effects of SAR442168 on MS relapse rates, disability progression, and underlying central nervous system damage. Phase 3 trials in both relapsing and progressive forms of MS are planned to be initiated in the middle of this year.

Earnings this week : Feb 3 - 7, 20 (wk 6)

Monday (Feb 3)

• Morning: ACM AMG ABG CTLT CHKP NSSC ON SASIA SYY
• Afternoon: ARE GOOG AFG BECN CBT EZPW FN HLIT HIG HP HXL HLI KMT KRC LEG MTSC NXPI PAHC PCH RBC SSD SXI VVV WWD

Tuesday (Feb 4)

• Morning: ATI AXE ARMK ATKR BDC TECH BP CNC CLX CMCO COP CSWI CTS CMI EXP ETN EMR ENTG AQUA IT HAE HLNE HUBB JHG LHX LANC LII LITE MCK MTG MSGN PBI PINC RL ROLL RCL SPG SIRI SNE TDG VSH GRA WDR WAT ZBH

Mon pm & Tue am (by vol) : https://finviz.com/screener.ashx?v=211&t=ARE,GOOG,AFG,BECN,CBT,EZPW,FN,HLIT,HIG,HP,HXL,HLI,KMT,KRC,LEG,MTSC,NXPI,PAHC,PCH,RBC,SSD,SXI,VVV,WWD,ATI,AXE,ARMK,ATKR,BDC,TECH,BP,CNC,CLX,CMCO,COP,CSWI,CTS,CMI,EXP,ETN,EMR,ENTG,AQUA,IT,HAE,HLNE,HUBB,JHG,LHX,LANC,LII,LITE,MCK,MTG,MSGN,PBI,PINC,RL,ROLL,RCL,SPG,SIRI,SNE,TDG,VSH,GRA,WDR,WAT,ZBH&ta=0&o=-volume

• Afternoon: EGHT ATGE AFL ALL DOX AINV APAM ATO BOOT CDK CERN CMG CB TCS CCK ESE ETH FISV F GTES GNW GILD GL THG HIW IPHI JKHY KLAC KN MANH MTCH MDU MCHP MODN MWA NBIX NEWR OI OLN PCTY CNXN PDM PAA PAGP PLT PWL PRU QGEN RRR RNR SCSC STX SNAP SWI TENB UNM USNA VIAV DIS YRCW ZAYO

Wednesday (Feb 5)

• Morning: ABB AME BMI BSX CPRI CG COTY DTE ENR FSV GM GPI HUM KFRC MHO MCFT MRK NS NVT BTU PAG PFGC SR SPOT SUM TMHC TKR UMC WD
• Afternoon: ADTN AOSL UHAL ANGI AVB ACLS CCMP CENT CDAY CINF CTSH COHR CUZ CSGS CUB DHT ECHO ELF ENS FEYE FLO FMC FORM FOXA GLUU GPRO GRUB HI ICHR IAC IRBT LCI LNC RAMP MTRX MXL MET MC MPWR NTGR NUAN ORLY OHI PAYC PTON QCOM  QNST RDN RYN RGLD SONO SAVE SU TBI TTMI TWLO TWO UGI WERN YUMC ZNGA

Thursday (Feb 6)

• Morning: ABMD WMS AGCO ALNY MT ARCH ARW BLL BCE BDX BGCP BV BCO BMY CAH CDW CI COR DNKN EIGI EL FCAU GLOP GLT HL  EAF HAIN ICE K KEM MAC MMS MPW MDP NRX NYT NGL NJR NOK ODFL PTEN PENN PM PBH PRLB REGN SPGI SNY SNA TPR TGI TWTR TSN USX VSTO WLTW WWE XYL YUM
• Afternoon: TWOU ATVI ASYS BIDU BHE BILL BKH BRKS CSL CCS COLM OFC DLX DXC EGP EGAN ENTA EHC EXPO FLT FSCT FTNT FTV FWRD G HUBG IQ LMAT LGND LFG.A MTW MTD MOBL MSI MYGN NOV NTUS UEPS NWSA NLOK OMCL ONTO PMT PINS POST PRO SGEN SIMO SKX SYNA TTWO TDC TSE UBER VRSN VVI VSAT VRTU VCRA WYNN ZEN

Friday (Feb 7) 

• Morning: ABBV AVTR CAE CCJ CBOE CNHI GOOS ROAD UFS FE GRC HMC

Lexicon Pharma (LXRX) : Sanofi's (SNY) termination of Zynquista collaboration

 

** LXRX daily and monthly **

Sanofi said the termination of the partnership comes after the results of three late-stage studies of the oral drug, Zynquista, which is being jointly developed by the two companies.

In a separate statement, Lexicon said it had not yet received the underlying data from the studies and that it expects to conduct its own review. The company also said it considers Sanofi to be in breach of contract and the termination invalid.

Received preliminary top-line results from Sanofi (SNY) for three Phase 3 trials of Zynquista (sotagliflozin) for type 2 diabetes from the InSynchrony clinical program -- co had granted Sanofi an exclusive worldwide license (excluding Japan) to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Zynquista, but following the results, Sanofi notified co that it is terminating the Zynquista collaboration in all ongoing global type 1 and type 2 diabetes programs. Co has notified Sanofi that it considers that notice invalid and that it considers Sanofi to be in breach of contract. At this time, the ongoing clinical trials will continue. Among those top-line results, Zynquista 400 mg demonstrated numerical improvement on A1C in the SOTA-CKD3 study but did not achieve a statistically significant reduction on A1C in the subpopulation of patients with stage 3B chronic kidney disease, and in SOTA-CKD4, it achieved a clinically meaningful effect but narrowly missed statistical significance on A1C reduction vs placebo in patients with stage 4 CKD at 26 weeks. Co expects to conduct its own analysis of results when it receives the underlying data. Downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel. At new lows.

Sanofi (SNY) to transfer U.S. stock exchange listing to Nasdaq Global Select Market

• Sanofi will be transferring the listing of its ADS to Nasdaq Global Select Market from the NYSE effective December 31

PARIS, Dec. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi today announced that it will be transferring the listing of its American Depositary Shares (ADS) from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to The Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq) effective December 31, 2018, after market close. Sanofi's ADSs are expected to begin trading as a Nasdaq-listed security at market open on January 2, 2019, and will continue to be listed under the ticker symbol "SNY." This transition will not impact the company's primary listing on Euronext (SAN.NX).

"This partnership with Nasdaq is a natural transition for Sanofi as it provides greater cost-efficiencies as well as access to a broad-based portfolio of investor relations tools to enhance both market insights and our interaction with the financial community," said Jean-Baptiste Chasseloup de Chatillon, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Sanofi. "I want to thank the NYSE which was our listing partner in the U.S. for many years."