The French drugmaker expands its presence in blood disorders and rare diseases.

In the largest acquisition by the French organization in seven years, Sanofi SA has agreed to purchase Bioverativ Inc., a company originally formed by Biogen Inc., for $11.6 billion. The takeover will position Sanofi in the blood disorder space. 

As part of the deal, Bioverativ Inc. will grant Sanofi SA all access to hemophilia doctors and patients for clinical trials, as the drug, Fitusiran, continues to make its way to market. Sanofi plans to advance the drug, an investigational RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic for hemophilia A and B, with or without inhibitors. Sanofi Chief Executive, Olivier Brandicourt, commented on the acquisition noting: “With Bioverativ, we welcome a leader in the growing hemophilia market.” 

Hemophilia is a major category for rare diseases; the sector claims $10 billion in sales annually and is the largest market of the rare disease category, with 181,000 people affected. This number is only predicted to rise, at estimates of over 7% predicted through 2022.  

Sanofi will pay $105 apiece and in cash for all outstanding shares of Bioverativ Inc. This price is a 64% premium of the company’s Friday market closing price. Sanofi will then move forward with a tender offer to acquire the stock, which is scheduled for February. Once the tender offer is completed, Sanofi will merge with Bioverativ; all remaining shares not tendered in the offer will be subject to receive the same $105 per share in cash; the transaction is expected to close within three months. The boards of directors on both companies unanimously approved the terms of the bid. 

Sanofi stands to gain over the long term as a result of the acquisition. The company’s stock is expected to grow by up to 5% over the next fiscal year. The company predicts that adding Bioverativ’s portfolio to their offering will contribute to strong cash flow and drive meaningful value. Bioverativ’s Eloctate and Alprolix therapies, which work in the treatment of hemophilia A and B, respectively, were cited as the most meaningful developments for the treatment of the disease in twenty years. The drugs earned Bioverativ $847 million in sales and $41 million in royalties.