Genentech, Roche Near Deal: Report
Updated from 4:02 p.m. EDTGenentech (DNA) is preparing to agree to a $95-per-share takeover by Roche, according to a report.
After months of haggling, Roche is closing in on a hostile bid to acquire biotech firm Genentech, according to
The Wall Street Journal
.
Friday, Roche
of $86.50 per share to $93 per share after persistent protests from Genentech that that price severely undercut its value. The move would give Roche, which has its eye on the cancer drug Avastin, the 44% of Genentech shares it doesn't already own.
According to the
Journal
, the two companies could announce a deal, which would amount to more than $46 billion in equity value, after the market closes Monday. It would be the second such announcment today, following
Merck
's
(MRK) - Get Report
$41.1 billion acquisition of
Schering-Plough
(SGP)
.
Roche's original offer, in July, was $89 per share. Genentech posed a counteroffer of $112:
"Genentech's strong projected financial performance implies a valuation substantially in excess of Roche's offer price," said Charles Sanders, chairman of Genentech's special board committee, in a statement in February.
As TheStreet.com's Adam Feuerstein
Monday, Big Pharma is primed for M&A activity -- witness the Merck-Schering-Plough deal as well as the deal between
Pfizer
(PFE) - Get Report
and
Wyeth
(WYE)
earlier this year -- but Big Pharma-biotech matchups like the potential Genentech deal may be less likely to materialize than conventional wisdom dictates.
Genentech's stock closed Monday trading up 2% to $92.63.
