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Nektar And PureTech Merger Talks Terminated

Discussions Could Have Caused 'Extended Period Of Uncertainty'

 
• By Kevin Grogan

The UK’s PureTech and US biotech Nektar have ended discussions about a potential merger which analysts did not see coming, but a deal could still happen and other companies may also make a move.

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Nektar and Puretech jump off the biotech M&A merry-go-round for now • Source: Shutterstock

A mere four days after announcing a potential link-up, troubled US group Nektar Therapeutics and UK healthcare holding company PureTech have called off merger talks which had taken seasoned observers of biotech M&A activity by surprise.

PureTech said on 11 October it had mutually agreed with Nektar "to terminate discussions regarding a possible business combination." Those discussions were only made public on 7 October in...

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