On the Verge of a Deal for Dade Behring

A year ago, Dade Behring, the nation's sixth largest diagnostics company, was facing a huge debt and very angry debt holders. Now, the company seems close to a deal that would allow it to cut the debt in half (to about $750 million) and give debtholders full ownership of Dade Behring. The company would file a voluntary pre-packaged bankruptcy in federal court, which would also enable it to start trading securities on the public equities market. Nothing is finalized, but sources say the company is confident it will prevail. Meanwhile, its financial performance is picking up, with strong growth in all core product lines.

A year ago, Dade Behring Inc. 's financial situation looked bleak: the nation's sixth largest diagnostics company, with revenues of $1.18 billion, was staggering under a debt of more than $1.5 billion. (See "Dade Behring's Recap Plans," IN VIVO, July 2001 Also see "Dade Behring's Recap Plans" - In Vivo, 1 July, 2001..) But no one could agree on a way to restructure the company. The banks were playing hardball by not letting Dade Behring make interest payments to the bond holders, who in turn were furious as they watched the value of senior subordinated debt plummet to less than 90% discount to par.

Meanwhile, the company's owners were trying to sell it whole or in pieces at valuations many considered unrealistic. Rumors were...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on In Vivo for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

More from Business Strategy

When VC Steps Back: Finding Alternative Biotech Funding

 
• By 

The biotech funding landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift. With traditional VC becoming increasingly cautious and selective, industry executives are exploring new avenues for capital. Conversely, this evolution may ultimately benefit the sector's long-term sustainability.

Podcast: “They Are Able To Keep Their Body”: Medipost On Its Stem Cell Therapy Vision

 

In Vivo spoke with Edward Ahn, CEO of Medipost, a Korean company that has developed stem cell therapies from cord blood, on how they are working across regulatory markets to provide a novel treatment for degenerative diseases.

Can Italy Shake Off Its Reputation And Become A Premier Hub For Biotech?

 
• By 

Leading industry experts have spoken to In Vivo about how investment, a change in mindset and a fresh approach to policy may allow Italy to kick-start its biotech ecosystem.

Rising Leaders 2025: Abbas Kazimi’s Vision For Nimbus Therapeutics

 
• By 

Rising Leader Abbas Kazimi's leadership at Nimbus Therapeutics combines immigrant resilience, patient-first partnerships, contrarian strategic bets and a deeply personal mission driving breakthrough drug discovery innovation.

More from In Vivo

Rising leaders 2025: Aneesh Karatt-Vellatt On Maxion Therapeutics’ Antibody Revolution

 
• By 

Aneesh Karatt-Vellatt is leading the charge to redefine how ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are targeted with antibody therapies, one of the most notoriously challenging classes of drug targets.

Podcast: Scancell’s Cancer Vaccine Progress With NHS Partnership

 
• By 

In the latest podcast interview, Phil L'Huillier, CEO of Scancell, discussed the company's work in cancer vaccine development, and its selection as the first British biotech to be a part of the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad.

Geopolitical Volatility Not Dimming A Healthy Mid-Term Outlook For Life Sciences Deals

 
• By 

New report by global law firm Taylor Wessing and Bayes Business School forecasts a steadily increasing volume of major life sciences M&A in the coming five years, but highlights concerns over cybersecurity and unrealistic valuations. Taylor Wessing partner Andrew Edge spoke to In Vivo.