Grifols of Spain in talks to acquire Talecris Biotherapeutics for $3 billion
07 Jun 2010
Spanish pharmaceutical company Grifols SA, that specialises in blood plasma-based products, is reportedly in talks to acquire Talecris Biotherapeutics, the world's third-largest plasma products manufacturer, for over $3 billion.
In June 2009 the US regulator had blocked the North Carolina-based Talecris' $3.1-billion bid to acquire Australia's CSL Ltd, the world's second largest maker of blood plasma products. (See: US FTC blocks CSL's $3.1-billion acquisition of Talecris Biotherapeutics)
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had blocked CSL's bid to buy Talecris since it would have made CSL the leader in the$15-billion global market for plasma-derived and recombinant products and would also have reduced competition.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Barcelona-based Grifols with 2009 revenues of €913.2 million, will offer more than the $3.1 billion offerred by CSL Ltd.
Grifol's bid to buy Talecris is not likely to be blocked by the regulators, since the Spanish firm has a negligible presence in the US, while Talecris is not a major player outside the US.
The deal is likely to be announced today, with the offer of a mix of mainly cash and some stocks.
