Amgen's $13.4bn Otezla Buy Helps Bristol/Celgene Merger Close By Year-End

Amgen sees opportunity to grow Otezla sales through new indications and additional ex-US launches. The deal depends on Bristol closing its Celgene acquisition, pending FTC clearance.

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Selling Otezla to appease the FTC is key to closing the Bristol-Celgene merger on time. • Source: Shutterstock

Amgen Inc. will add a revenue-generating drug with strong sales growth expectations to its portfolio via the $13.4bn purchase of Celgene Corp.'s Otezla (apremilast), the divestiture of which should pave the way for Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. to close its $74bn acquisition of Celgene by the end of 2019.

Amgen is buying the Otezla revenue stream at a crucial moment when its revenues are being hit by biosimilars and...

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