Ono Pharma To Acquire US Drugmaker Deciphera For USD 2.4 Billion

Ono Pharmaceutical, a leading Japanese pharma firm, intends to make its largest acquisition to date, purchasing an American cancer drug manufacturer for $2.4 billion. The company is looking for growth through new drug candidates As the Opdivo cancer immunotherapy's essential patents expire in 2028.

The firm added that it had agreed to make a tender offer to buy all of the shares of Nasdaq-listed Deciphera Pharmaceuticals and hopes to close the deal in the third quarter. The $25.60 per share is 74.7 percent higher than the closing price of Deciphera stock on Friday.

"The results of this acquisition will come right when Opdivo's sales are decreasing because of the patent expiration," Ono Chairman Gyo Sagara said in a briefing Tuesday.

Deciphera was laid out in 2003. Its Qinlock malignant growth drug, sold in the U.S. and Europe, has a unique instrument to repress proteins fundamental for cancer cells to multiply. Deciphera's worldwide income in 2023 came to $163 million, comprising Qinlock deals and related joint effort income. Ono anticipates that Qinlock's deals should top $350 million to $400 million.

There are also promising new drug candidates in Deciphera. A treatment for harmless growths in joints is in the last phases of clinical trials in Europe and the U.S. Furthermore, it is planned to be submitted for endorsement in 2024.

The firm is also developing a medication for blood disease treatment complications. Ono President Toichi Takino said that Ono anticipates that deals in this area will top $700 million per year.