Roche acquires Telavant for $7.25 billion – Kommersant

Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche agreed with Roivant Sciences and Pfizer to purchase their joint venture Telavant Holdings. Roche will pay $7.1 billion upfront and another $150 million in the near future as milestone payments. Thus, the total transaction amount will be $7.25 billion.

Roche needs the purchase of Telavant to obtain the rights to the drug RVT-3101, which is being developed by Prizer and Roivant. It is intended for people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease – a chronic gastrointestinal disorder – and could potentially be used to treat a variety of other conditions, given that it targets both inflammation and fibrosis. The drug is undergoing clinical trials and, if successful, will be sold in the USA and Japan.

In addition, as part of the deal, Roche will receive an option to participate in the development with Pfizer of another new generation drug for the treatment of the same disease – p40/TL1A, which is only undergoing the first stage of clinical trials.

Kirill Sarkhanyants