2012 again a bumper year for Pharma M&A, but values well down
The year 2012 was again a bumper year for merger and acquisition activity in the global pharmaceutical, biotech and generics sectors, with 131 deals announced (three were cancelled), according to data collected by The Pharma Letter, compared with 129 in 2011 and 117 in 2010 (see full table attached). However, the value of the deals has seen a significant decline, with the year seeing very few mega-mergers.
According to Steven Burrill, chief executive of the eponymous venture capital firm Burrill & Co, M&A activity in 2012 fell to $101.1 billion during the first 11 months of 2012, a 34.5% decrease. Expect this number to increase by at least 20% with a pick-up in acquisitions of mid-cap life sciences companies and at least one Big Pharma or major biotech merger in 2013, he predicts. Deals targeting drug companies that reach into Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia will also drive activity, he also forecast in his year-end review.
See the full table for details
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