How Roche Won The Bidding Battle For Spark

An SEC filing offers a fascinating insight into how Spark CEO Jeff Marrazzo and his board managed to play off a number of suitors against each other and get Roche to up its bid from $70 per share to $114.50.

Auction
Spark Played Smart And Secured Bigger Bids • Source: Shutterstock

Details have emerged about the process that saw Roche beat off competition for its proposed $4.8bn acquisition of Spark Therapeutics Inc. by outbidding three rivals, although the Swiss major had to up its first offer by over 60% to get hold of the gene therapy specialist.

A filing by Spark to the US Securities and Exchange Commission also highlights the considerable negotiating skills of the company's CEO Jeff Marrazzo and his team. Having got FDA approval in Dec

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip 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 Deals

Sanofi R&D Head’s Words Of Wisdom For Biotechs

 
• By 

Houman Ashrafian tells delegates at Swiss Biotech Day that ‘literally only two things matter in our industry – target credentialing and differentiated pharmacology. The rest is execution.’

Shionogi In $1bn Deal For Japan Tobacco’s Pharma Ops

 
• By 

Mid-sized Japanese pharma firm to acquire tobacco giant’s pharma operations and take private the listed Torii Pharmaceutical business, in bid to build sales reach and strengthen manufacturing.

Lilly And Alchemab Tap Into Resilient Individuals To Develop ALS Drug

 

The pharma company is helping to validate the biotech’s model by developing a novel amyotrophic lateral sclerosis candidate, based on its novel approach that ‘turns drug discovery on its head’.

Deal Watch: Lilly Looks To Creyon For Oligonucleotides

 
• By 

Plus deals involving J&J/Addex/Sinntaxis, Concentra/Kronos, Granata/Oviva, Coeptis/Z Squared, Ligand/Channel and more.

More from Business

Sanofi R&D Head’s Words Of Wisdom For Biotechs

 
• By 

Houman Ashrafian tells delegates at Swiss Biotech Day that ‘literally only two things matter in our industry – target credentialing and differentiated pharmacology. The rest is execution.’

Shionogi In $1bn Deal For Japan Tobacco’s Pharma Ops

 
• By 

Mid-sized Japanese pharma firm to acquire tobacco giant’s pharma operations and take private the listed Torii Pharmaceutical business, in bid to build sales reach and strengthen manufacturing.

Sarepta Slammed By Double Blow: Elevidys Sales Miss, Prasad’s CBER Appointment

 
• By 

Sarepta’s stock price was battered after Vinay Prasad was appointed to lead the US FDA’s CBER, then the company’s shares were bruised when Q1 Elevidys sales came in below consensus.