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Biotech Sector Is a Hotbed of Takeover Speculation

^{Published on 2011-03-21 05:05:16 - Market Wire}
 

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - March 21, 2011) - M&A activity in the healthcare sector has been on the upswing in recent quarters. Going forward larger healthcare firms are expected to continue searching for smaller, more speculative companies which are focusing on specific treatments and specialties in the medical sector. Recent reports suggest that not only is Big Pharma active in acquisitions, but also larger biotech firms are showing willingness to utilize their large resource pools to acquire smaller firms in a race to diversify and to build their reach. The Bedford Report examines the outlook for companies in the Biotechnology Industry and provides research reports on Xoma Ltd. (NASDAQ: [ XOMA ]) and Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ HGSI ]). Access to the full company reports can be found at:

[ www.bedfordreport.com/2011-03-XOMA ]

[ www.bedfordreport.com/2011-03-HGSI ]

A recent report from Deal Search Online claims that while the biotech sector saw a 40 percent drop in the number of M&A deals last year, the 115 deals in 2010 amounted to $57.5 billion, a 21 percent increase over 2009. The report suggests that the last decade saw an increase in the amount of biotech deals, led in part by pharmaceutical companies seeking new blockbuster drugs to fill the void left by drugs coming off patent.

The Bedford Report releases regular market updates on the Healthcare Sector so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Take a few minutes to register with us free at [ www.bedfordreport.com ] and get exclusive access to our numerous analyst reports and industry newsletters.

Recently the FDA approved Human Genome Sciences' Lupus Drug, Benlysta. Prior to Benlysta, the FDA last approved drugs to treat lupus, Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) and corticosteroids, in 1955. Aspirin was approved to treat lupus in 1948. GlaxoSmithKline has a 50-50 development and marketing partnership with HGSI for Benlysta, leading many analysts to speculate that Human Genome Sciencesis a likely takeover target for Glaxo.

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