Dive Brief:
- Earlier this week, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (or Sobi) shares flew on news that a myster bidder had made an offer for the rare disease drug maker. According to Reuters, that mystery bidder has been revealed: Pfizer.
- Biogen and Investor AB were also considered contenders for acquisition of Sobi, which develops drugs for rare diseases including hemophilia.
- Pfizer and Sobi are already partnered, with Pfizer acting as the marketing and distribution arm of Sobi's product, ReFactor AF, for hemophilia.
Dive Insight:
Pfizer has been open about its desire to make acquisitions, and acquisition of Sobi makes sense in light of Pfizer's own Rare Disease Research Unit.
Just several days ago, there was speculation about which company was bidding on Sobi. Many thought that Investor AB was the likely bidder, because AB owns about 40% of Sobi. However, Pfizer already had an existing partnership with Sobi, making it just as likely a contender.
Sobi is valued at roughly $4.3 billion, and because Pfizer dose not have a specific target value range for takeovers, an acquisition may be likely.