Ashland to pay $3.2bn for ISP

01-Jun-2011 - Ashland will buy International Specialty Products (ISP) in a deal designed to expand it's business in less cyclical, high-growth markets such as pharmaceuticals and personal care.

update

Watson buys Specifar in busy month of M&As for generics sector

31-May-2011 - Watson Pharmaceuticals has bought Greek generics firm Specifar Pharmaceuticals, bringing to an end a busy month of deal making in the non-branded drug sector.

Shire to enter regenerative meds with Advanced BioHealing buy

18-May-2011 - UK-based drugmaker Shire has unveiled plans to buy Advanced BioHealing (ABH) citing the lack of generic competition in the regenerative medicines sector as a factor.

Spin-off or demerger being considered by Aurobindo

11-May-2011 - Aurobindo Pharma is considering demerging its API and formulation businesses to unlock value and better serve clients.

Elan sells EDT unit to Alkermes

09-May-2011 - Elan will sell its delivery technology unit, EDT, to Alkermes in a deal that brings to an end the Irish drugmakers’ long search for a buyer.

News in brief

Clariant acquires Süd Chemie

28-Apr-2011 - Switzerland – based specialty chemicals group Clariant has acquired 96.15 per cent of German Süd – Chemie.

update

Oystar sells processing tech units to Bosch

27-Apr-2011 - Oystar has sold its processing tech units, Huttlin and Manesty, to Bosch in a deal that continues its effort to refocus on primary and secondary packaging.

Hikma invests in Mumbai-based Unimark Remedies

18-Apr-2011 - MENA-focused drug manufacturer, Hikma, has entered into a strategic partnership with Indian API and intermediates business, Unimark Remedies.

Nano Terra puts pen to paper in deal for Surface Logix

12-Apr-2011 - Nano Terra, a surface engineering and nanotechnology company based in Brighton Massachusetts, US, has struck a deal to acquire neighbouring drug developer, Surface Logix.

Pfizer to sell Capsugel for $2.4bn, no decision on other divestitures yet

05-Apr-2011 - Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has agreed to sell Capsugel, its drug delivery technology unit, to US investment group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) for $2.4bn (€1.7bn).

Romaco sold; new owners plan expansion and investment

05-Apr-2011 - Processing and packaging technology firm Romaco will be sold to German private equity group Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG) for €61m (£86.5m).

Sigma posts loss but shares soar on special dividend

28-Mar-2011 - Sigma Pharmaceuticals posted a A$235.4m (€172.0m) loss in 2010 but its share value soared on payment of a special dividend.

Gerresheimer buys Bazilian plastic pack firm Vedat

23-Mar-2011 - Gerresheimer has bought Brazilian pharmaceutical plastic packaging maker Vedat, citing rapid growth of the country’s drug market, particularly the generics segment, as the main driver for the acquisition.

Clondalkin to buy Catalent printed components unit

02-Mar-2011 - Clondalkin is to buy the printed components unit from Catalent as part of an ongoing acquisition strategy in the strong sector growth.

Fujifilm acquires Merck BioManufacturing Network

28-Feb-2011 - Tokyo, Japan-based digital imaging specialist, Fujifilm, has agreed a deal to buy US drug giant Merck and Co's BioManufacturing Network, including two biotech manufacturing plants.

News in brief

Azelis to buy S&D’s pharma ingredients biz

22-Feb-2011 - Belgian chemicals distributor Azelis has agreed to buy S&D Group citing its presence in key pharmaceutical ingredients markets as an important driver.

updated

CEO: Sanofi may provide Genzyme with fill/finish long term

17-Feb-2011 - Sanofi Aventis’ CEO, Chris Veibacher, said the French drugmaker may look at providing some fill/finish capacity for Genzyme in the long term.

Sanofi to buy Genzyme for $20.1bn and performance-based CVR

16-Feb-2011 - French drugmaker Sanofi Aventis will buy Genzyme after the firms finally agree a valuation based on manufacturing performance, approvals and sales.

Daiichi Sankyo acquires first US-based packaging and manufacturing facility

16-Feb-2011 - Japanese pharma giant, Daiichi Sankyo Inc. (DSI) has announced the acquisition of its first US-based packaging and manufacturing plant.

Bill to tackle prescription drug shortages enters US Senate

09-Feb-2011 - A bill requiring biopharm manufacturers to give the FDA early notification of potential drug shortages has been introduced to the US Senate.

Pfizer acquires Danish food supplements operation

07-Feb-2011 - Pfizer has acquired the consumer healthcare business of Danish firm Ferrosan for an undisclosed fee in what the pharma giant says, “is an excellent strategic fit that strengthens our presence in dietary supplements”.

Sigma buys pharma standards firm RTC

03-Feb-2011 - Sigma-Aldrich has acquired analytical standards and certified reference materials manufacturer Resource Technology Corporation (RTC) to expand its analytical

Genzyme to sell intermediates biz to ICIG

02-Feb-2011 - Genzyme will sell its pharmaceutical intermediates business to International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG).

News in brief

Valeant buys PharmaSwiss for CEE generics market

02-Feb-2011 - Canada’s Valeant Pharmaceuticals will pay €350m for PharmaSwiss to expand its presences in the central and eastern European generic drug market.