AstraZeneca’s mega $39 billion takeover of Alexion Pharmaceuticals has come to a close, delivering the British pharma a lucrative portfolio of immunology medicines and a towering presence in rare diseases.
AZ on Wednesday announced the completion of its Alexion acquisition, a week after securing a pivotal nod from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Industry watchers were concerned that the deal, the largest announced among pharma players last year, could become a target for an emboldened, Democrat-led Federal Trade Commission (FTC). But those fears were eventually wiped away as AZ secured blessings from the U.S. in April, then from the EU in early July.
The now-completed buyout stands as a key stepping stone for AstraZeneca as it targets an ambitious sales goal of $40 billion in just four years, up from the roughly $26 billion it made in 2020.
With the deal’s closing will come an immediate $6 billion bump to AstraZeneca’s top line as the drugmaker secures two of Alexion’s blockbuster C5 inhibitor franchises, Soliris and Ultomiris.
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