Sanofi continues its risk in the pharmaceutical sector by acquiring the Belgian biotech company Ablynx for 3,9 billion euros. This is the second major acquisition in a row for the French giant, which a few days ago had already placed its hands on the American Bioverativ, specialized in haemophilia treatments, paying 11,6 billion dollars.
Sanofi has undertaken to pay 45 euros in cash for each Ablynx share, a value which incorporates a 21,2% premium on last Friday's closing price.
The operation is another sign of the acceleration of the M&A phase that the biotech world is going through. Moreover, Ablynx had already rejected a 2,6 billion euro offer from the Danish Novo Nordisk.
Also this month, the US Celgene acquired its compatriot Juno Therapeutics, a company specializing in cancer treatments, for 9 billion dollars.
And Sanofi's external expansion does not seem to end there. The French group said today it will continue to evaluate acquisitions "on a case-by-case basis".
