Novartis announced Jan. 22 the successful completion of the tender offer by its subsidiary, Novartis Groupe France S.A., to purchase all of the outstanding ordinary shares (“Ordinary Shares”), including Ordinary Shares represented by American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), of Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A. for a price of USD 41.00 per Ordinary Share and USD 82.00 per ADS, in each case payable net to the seller in cash, without interest (the “Offer”).
The Offer and withdrawal rights expired as scheduled at 12:00 midnight, New York City Time, on January 19, 2018. AAA is a radiopharmaceutical company that develops, produces and commercializes Molecular Nuclear Medicines. The completion of the Offer bolsters Novartis’ oncology portfolio with the addition of Lutathera(lutetium Lu 177 dotatate), a first-in-class RLT product for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), in addition to a portfolio of diagnostic products including NETSPOT/SOMAKIT and F-18 PET. The planned acquisition of AAA was announced in October 2017.
The Bank of New York Mellon, as ADS tender agent for the Offer, and Banque Transatlantique S.A., as Ordinary Shares agent for the Offer, have advised that, as of the expiration of the Offer, 94,380,927 Ordinary Shares (including 84,499,944 Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs and 711,834 Ordinary Shares delivered through Notices of Guaranteed Delivery) were validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, representing approximately 97% of (a)all Ordinary Shares (including Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs) then outstanding (including any Ordinary Shares held in escrow), plus (b)all Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of any options, warrants, convertible notes, stock appreciation rights or other rights to acquire Ordinary Shares then outstanding, regardless of whether or not then vested, plus (c)any Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to arrangements with the former shareholders of BioSynthema, Inc., a business acquired by AAA in 2010. All conditions to the Offer have been satisfied, and Novartis Groupe France S.A. has accepted for payment, and expects to promptly pay for, all Ordinary Shares and ADSs validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer.
“Advanced Accelerator Applications brings to Novartis a potential paradigm changing therapy in Lutathera which builds on our established leadership in neuroendocrine tumor treatment, as well as a portfolio of innovative R&D technology platforms in the nuclear medicines space,” said Vas Narasimhan, Global Head, Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer, Novartis. “We are excited to welcome AAA to the Novartis organization so we can collectively transform cancer care for patients.”
In addition to Lutathera in NET, AAA’s radioligand therapy (RLT) pipeline includes 177Lu-PSMA-R2 which is currently being investigated in a phase 1/2 study in prostate cancer and other assets in pre-clinical testing, as well as a range of diagnostic programs.
