

Patent Expirations for Major Pharmaceuticals Send Biotech Merger and Acquisition Activity to a Four-Year High
August 24, 2012 08:20 ET
Patent Expirations for Major Pharmaceuticals Send Biotech Merger and Acquisition Activity to a Four-Year High
Five Star Equities Provides Stock Research on Achillion Pharmaceuticals and XOMA
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Aug 24, 2012) - Biotechnology stocks continue to be some of the strongest performers in the markets as favorable legislation, such as the FAST and TREAT acts, have helped boost investor optimism within the industry. The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund is up over 28 percent in 2012 -- handedly outperforming the Dow Jones industrial average year-to-date. Five Star Equities examines the outlook for companies in the Biotech Industry and provides equity research on Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (
Access to the full company reports can be found at:
[ www.FiveStarEquities.com/ACHN ]
[ www.FiveStarEquities.com/XOMA ]
The FAST and TREAT acts introduced in 2012 have helped accelerate the development, review and approval process of medicines/personalized therapies for patients suffering from serious and life-threatening diseases. According to recent data from Thomson Reuters, biotech mergers & acquisitions activity is currently at a four-year high as large pharmaceuticals are facing major patent cliffs. So far in 2012 the volume of biotech M&A has exceeded $25 billion, compared to roughly 10 billion in the same period of 2011.
"Their patents have expired, and as a result they have holes in their revenue line they are trying to fill," said Scott Lindsay, global head of mergers and acquisitions at Credit Suisse. "The other part is just shoring up the pipeline they have. So even if they don't have a major patent problem, they're all looking for growth."
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Achillion is an innovative pharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing important new treatments to patients with infectious disease. Achillion's proven discovery and development teams have advanced multiple product candidates with novel mechanisms of action. Achillion is advancing ACH-1625, a potent HCV inhibitor with an excellent preclinical safety profile.
XOMA combines a portfolio of innovative therapeutic antibodies, both in late-stage clinical development and in preclinical research, with its recently launched commercial operations. The company recently received Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for Gevokizumab.
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