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Aurobindo acquired US Business of Sandoz

 

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Aurobindo Pharma Limited a world-leading marketer and manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients, announces the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire certain assets from Sandoz Inc., USA ("Sandoz"), a Novartis Division, comprising a market leading dermatology business and a portfolio of oral solid products along with commercial and manufacturing infrastructure in the US. The acquisition will be on debt free and cash free basis and will be made through its wholly owned subsidiary, Aurobindo Pharma USA Inc. Aurobindo and Sandoz will enter into a transitional services agreement to support the ongoing growth plans of the businesses being acquired by Aurobindo.

The acquisition will give Aurobindo a market leading dermatology franchise comprising a wide portfolio of generic and a range of branded products which are well recognized by patients, pharmacists and retail/ wholesale customers. Aurobindo will also acquire a well-established commercial infrastructure with a fully-dedicated dermatology sales force along with a state-of- the-art manufacturing facility with specialized capabilities in creams, ointments, lotions, topical solutions and topical suspensions that are highly complementary to Aurobindo' s current manufacturing footprint.

The Sandoz US portfolios to be sold to Aurobindo include approximately 300 products, as well as additional development projects. The sale includes the Sandoz US generic and branded dermatology businesses as well as its dermatology development center. As part of the transaction, Aurobindo will acquire the manufacturing facilities in Wilson, North Carolina, as well as Hicksville and Melville, New York. The business had net sales of USD 0.6 billion in H1, 2018. 

"Sharpening our portfolio focus in the US allows us to devote more time and resources toward our strategy of bringing complex generics, value-added medicines and biosimilars to patients in the US, creating higher value and opening up access to important medicines where alternatives are truly needed," says Richard Francis, CEO Sandoz and Member of the Novartis Executive Committee. "Through this transaction, we are refocusing our business but also striving to ensure continuity of supply of important long-used generic medicines for patients and customers in the US."

As part of the agreement, approximately 750 employees in Hicksville, Melville, Wilson and Princeton, New Jersey, as well as the field representatives for the PharmaDerm branded dermatology business, are expected to transfer to Aurobindo upon closing. "We recognize that the transfer of ownership for a business of this size is a complex process, and we are aware that it may create some uncertainties for our associates in the US. It is thus a priority for us to make the transition as clear and quick as possible", says Carol Lynch, President of Sandoz Inc. and Head of Sandoz North America.

Commenting on the transaction, Mr. N. Govindarajan, Managing Director of Aurobindo, said: "The acquisition announced today is in line with our strategy to grow and diversify our business in the US. Acquiring these businesses from Sandoz will allow us to further expand our product offering and to become a leading player in the generic dermatology market. Overall the transaction will position Aurobindo as the 2nd largest dermatology player and the 2nd largest generics company in the US by prescriptions. We expect a seamless integration of the acquired businesses with the rest of the Aurobindo group given the success we have achieved in our acquisitions to date. As we have done in some of our previous acquisitions, we will be focused on leveraging our Croup's market leading vertically integrated and highly efficient manufacturing base to enhance the market position and medium-term profitability of the businesses we are acquiring.

" Mr. Govindarajan added, "We look forward to delivering the benefits of this transaction to all our stakeholders including employees, patients, customers and healthcare providers across the US. "

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