UCB agrees to buy Ra Pharma for $2.5B

UCB SA (OTCPK:UCBJF) has agreed to acquire Ra Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:RARX) for $48 per share in cash or $2.5B (€2.2B)($2.1B net of RARX cash).

UCB says the deal is consistent with its “Accelerate and Expand” strategy. In this case, it gains access to RA’s zilucoplan, in Phase 3 development for myasthenia gravis (MG), complementing its own rozanolixizumab, also in late-stage development for MG.

Zilucoplan is also being evaluated in other complement-mediated disorders like ALS and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy.

The transaction will not affect UCB’s 2019 financial guidance. It will be dilutive to its mid-term earnings and will extend its mid-term goal of EBITDA/revenue of 31% out one year to 2022.

The deal should close by the end of Q1 2020.

RARX is up 106% premarket on light volume.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3504914-ucb-agrees-buy-ra-pharma-2_5b