The bad news for the IPO market should mean good news for biotechnology M&As in 2012, and for the most part it does. However, premiums or multiples paid per deal vary significantly, with big companies increasingly willing to pay a big price for an increased presence in selected areas, notably specialty pharma and diagnostics. Not all deals go through, as the unsuccessful Roche-Ilumina and GSK-HGS courtships can attest. Experts expect M&As to continue the brisk pace of recent months through the rest of 2012.
Poll Question:
What is your forecast for mergers and acquisitions this year?
Sunny and hot
7
Partly cloudy and lukewarm
9
Cloudy and cool
3
Undecided
1