Nordic Life Science 1
TOP STORIES BUSINESS CELLAVISION ACQUIRES RAL DIA
GNOSTICS THE FRENCH COMPANY RAL DIAGNOSTICS MANUFACTURES SAMPLE PREPARATION PRODUCTS IN HEMATOLOGY, PATHOLOGY, CYTOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY. RAL’S SALES IN 2018 were around SEK 87 million and its EBITDA margin about 15 percent. The cash purchase price is SEK 268 million, on a cash and debt-free basis. The acquisition is financed through a combination of CellaVision’s own cash and cash equivalents and bank loans arranged by Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken of SEK 120 million. The acquisition gives CellaVision a well-established brand with solutions in staining and sample preparation of the highest quality, the company states. The acquisition also opens new future opportunities to apply CellaVision’s technology beyond hematology. RAL holds a strong position in EMEA but has a limited presence in the Americas and APAC, where CellaVision has established a strong position. Thus, there are good opportunities for effective sales expansion for RAL’s solutions in hematology through CellaVision’s organization and established hematology partnerships, the company states. “CellaVision and RAL fit very well together strategically, and in combination we have the capacity for stronger development than would have been possible as two separate companies,” says Zlatko Rihter, CEO, CellaVision. Geir Harstad, CEO, Smartfish SMARTFISH HAS INITIATED A STRATEGIC COLLABORATION WITH THE GLOBAL HEALTHCARE COMPANY B. BRAUN TO SECURE A GLOBAL LAUNCH OF ITS MEDICAL NUTRITION PRODUCT REMUNE. B. BRAUN WILL launch Remune in around 20 countries during 2019 and 2020, followed by several other markets in Europe, Asia and South America. The collaboration also opens up for potential future launches by B. Braun of other products based on the Smartfish technology, states the company. Smartfish provides nutrition products with high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids, and its medical nutrition products are used to improve the nutritional status of malnourished or undernourished patients. This has shown statistically significant effects in clinical trials in cancer and COPD patients. Recently published data from a double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study indicate that Remune can improve overall survival in undernourished patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. THE TRANSACTION IS VALUED AT UP TO USD 915 MILLION ON A FULLY DILUTED BASIS. HE ACQUISITION OF Dova provides Sobi with Doptelet (avatrombopag), a differentiated on-market Zlatko Rihter product in Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), for Chronic Liver Disease (CLD) 10 NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG and an ongoing phase 3 trial in Chemotherapy Induced Thrombocytopenia (CIT). The acquisition of Dova will broaden the scope of Sobi’s product portfolio into hematology and enhance Sobi’s commercial presence in the United States. Doptelet will further diversify Sobi’s revenue base adding a new growth driver. Sobi will leverage its expertise and existing infrastructure in hematology to grow Doptelet across its indications by expanding patient access outside the US.