Drugmakers this week did not purchase experimental drug candidates but invested in approved drugs and a factory that makes imaging agents.
- Viatris agreed on Thursday to buy Pacira BioSciences for $1.65 billion in cash, or $36.50 a share.
- GE HealthCare agreed to pay $945 million in cash for Sofie Biosciences, a private U.S. firm that makes radioactive tracers for PET scans.
- Biohaven licensed Asian rights to its antibody-clearing drugs to Japan’s Ono Pharmaceutical; Alector signed a separate license with Genentech.
U.S.-listed drugmakers spent the week selling rights or buying products they can already sell. Cash went to approved pain drugs, a factory that makes imaging agents, and two license deals, including one that leaves the American company in charge of its home market.
The companies did not purchase experimental drug candidates as they did last week when drugmakers, including Novo Nordisk and Novartis, invested in experimental drugs.
Viatris Buys A Pain Franchise
Viatris (VTRS) agreed on Thursday to buy Pacira BioSciences (PCRX) for $1.65 billion in cash, or $36.50 a share. That was a premium of about 45% to Pacira’s last close.
Pacira sells Exparel, a long-acting numbing shot used after surgery, and Zilretta, an injection for knee arthritis. Pacira expects Exparel sales of $600 million to $620 million this year. Viatris, which is waiting on a U.S. decision for its own non-opioid pain drug, said the products fit its push into branded medicines and that it would try to sell them in more countries. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026. Pacira shares closed Thursday at $36.39, up 44%.
GE Healthcare Buys The Delivery Network
GE HealthCare (GEHC) agreed to pay $945 million in cash for Sofie Biosciences, a private U.S. firm that makes radioactive tracers for PET scans. Sofie runs 15 manufacturing sites and 21 cyclotrons. The tracers fade within hours, so the plant has to be near the hospital. GE also gets U.S. rights to FAPI-74, an experimental cancer-imaging agent it already controls outside the country. Sofie already makes GE’s heart-scan product Flyrcado. Closing is expected in the first half of 2027.
Two Biotechs License Out
Biohaven (BHVN) licensed Asian rights to its antibody-clearing drugs to Japan’s Ono Pharmaceutical. The package is $80 million at signing and a further $20 million expected within about a year, plus royalties of roughly 20 percent on Ono’s sales in Japan and other Asian markets. Biohaven keeps the United States, Europe, and China. The lead drug, BHV-1300, is in a late-stage study for Graves’ disease.
Alector (ALEC) signed a separate license with Genentech, the U.S. unit of Roche (RHHBY). Alector gets $100 million upfront and could receive up to $1.17 billion more for AL-050, an experimental enzyme therapy aimed at Parkinson’s and other brain disorders. Genentech gained worldwide rights to develop the AL-050 program. The deal lands three months after GSK (GSK) walked away from an older Alector partnership.
How Did Retail Traders React?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around VTRS and PCRX was in ‘bullish’ territory over the past 24 hours, while GEHC and BHVN stayed within the ‘neutral’ territory. Sentiment around ALEC stayed within the ‘extremely bullish’ territory.
While VTRS has gained 42% year-to-date, PCRX has added 40%, BHVN 7%, and ALEC 33%. Meanwhile, GEHC has fallen 20%.
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