The sale of the Merck KGaA consumer health business to Procter & Gamble could eventually give the German multinational greater flexibility in business development activities, but reducing net debt has first claim on the funds.
Merck KGAA could use some of the €3.4bn ($4.2bn) it will receive from the all-cash sale of its global consumer health business to strengthen its remaining business sectors, in healthcare, life sciences and performance materials, but the primary use of net proceeds from the sale of the consumer health business to Procter & Gamble Co., announced on Apr. 19, will be to speed up the deleveraging process, the German multinational said.
Stefan Oschmann, CEO of Merck KGaA
The Swiss pharma company is rebalancing the portfolio, emphasizing best-in-class drugs and moving into new areas like cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
Merck’s immuno-oncology blockbuster was the world’s best-selling drugs by revenues for the second year in a row, with an almost $12bn lead over its closest rival, Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drug Ozempic.
Francesco Hofmann, head of R&D at the mid-sized French group, tells Scrip that its strategy of not playing in the spaces that are dominated by big pharma is paying off.
Companies stand a better chance of securing public reimbursement in Mexico for innovative medicines if they understand changing approaches to healthcare. The shift means the emergence of managed entry agreements and a focus on economic impact, explains AMIIF, Mexico's research-based pharmaceutical industry association.
Novartis’s APMA chief outlines the company’s tailored approach to deliver long-term outcomes, novel access solutions via innovative financing options and shape the CVD disease ecosystem in the extraordinarily diverse region. Partnering to build AI infrastructure is another key prong.
A court order encompassing funding, drug pricing, clinical trials and overall policy implementation aspects is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in the treatment of rare diseases in India. Sarepta, Roche and Sanofi are among the key players that have been part of pricing discussions.
