Petah Tikva – Israel’s Teva Buys Allergan Generic Drug Company For $40.5B

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    FILE - This Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013 file photo shows trucks run past Teva Pharmaceutical Logistic Center in the town of Shoam, Israel. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty, File)Petah Tikva – Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. said Monday it is purchasing Dublin-based Allergan PLC’s generic pharmaceuticals business for $40.5 billion, in what Israeli analysts called the largest-ever acquisition by an Israeli company.

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    Statements from both companies say the deal will see Allergan receive $33.75 billion in cash and shares of Teva valued Monday at $6.75 billion. In light of the acquisition, Teva said it was withdrawing its $40 billion-plus takeover offer for pharmaceuticals company Mylan N.V.

    Word of the acquisition saw Teva shares shoot up 13 percent in pre-opening trading on the Nasdaq. Trading in Teva shares on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange halted over the news of the sale.

    The Israeli pharmaceutical giant is the world’s largest generic drugmaker. It said in a statement that the acquisition would provide patients with more access to affordable medicines.

    “Through our acquisition of Allergan Generics, we will establish a strong foundation for long-term, sustainable growth, anchored by leading generics capabilities and a world-class late-stage pipeline that will accelerate our ability to build an exceptional portfolio of products – both in generics and specialty as well as the intersection of the two,” Erez Vigodman, president and CEO of Teva, said in a statement.

    Brent Saunders, CEO and president of Allergan, said in a statement the sale would help his company enhance its “global-branded pharmaceutical business and strengthen our financial position.”

    Teva is Israel’s largest drug company and has long been a source of pride for Israelis. The company dates back to 1901, when its founders launched a small importer of medications. According to the company’s website, it began producing drugs in the 1930s.

    Its late CEO, Eli Hurwitz, ran the company from 1976 to 2002 and received Israel’s highest award for lifetime achievement. Teva’s aggressive expansion included acquisitions around the globe and patent challenges.

    Its takeover of Ivax Corp. in 2005 and Barr Pharmaceuticals in 2008 for about $7.4 billion each were the biggest by an Israeli company at the time and cemented Teva’s position as the world’s largest producer of generic drugs.

    The company also branched out into developing branded drugs, including Copaxone, developed in Israel for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. It also has a patent on Azilect, a treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

    Yossi Vardi, one of Israel’s most-successful tech investors, said Teva’s acquisition could signal a new stage in Israeli business, encouraging companies to make similarly large acquisitions.

    “This becomes something strategic. In Israel … since it’s a very small community, everybody inspires everybody else,” Vardi said.


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    2 Comments
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    Anominous
    Anominous
    8 years ago

    Invest in Israel. Aside from bumps here and there (embargo?), overtime Israel will only get stronger.

    Anominous
    Anominous
    8 years ago

    Based on Hashem’s bracha, demographics and technology and innovation focus, I think the Israeli stock market will be one of the best investments for the next 20 years. Aside from that, if Moschiach comes, it can multiply instantly 3x, and many more times afterwards. Even more than the dot.com times. Just think of all wealthy Jews coming from diaspora bringing their wealth to invest in Israel. That’s just one small point of the equation…