The Life Sciences and M&A teams advised Anthos Therapeutics in its agreement to be acquired by Novartis for up to $3.1 billion. Anthos was founded by Blackstone Life Sciences and Novartis in 2019 with the exclusive global rights from Novartis to develop, manufacture, and commercialize abelacimab, a novel factor XI inhibitor that originated at Novartis, being developed to prevent stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation as well as to prevent the recurrence of blood clots in patients with cancer.
Anthos shareholders will receive an upfront payment of $925 million upon closing of the transaction. In addition, Anthos shareholders are entitled to receive payments in the event certain regulatory and commercial milestones are achieved. Completion of the transaction is expected in the first half of 2025, pending the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
Anthos Therapeutics is a transformative, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with the exclusive global rights from Novartis Pharma AG to develop, manufacture and commercialize abelacimab. BXLS is the majority investor in the company and is joined by other partners including Novo Holdings.
Blackstone Life Sciences is an industry-leading private investment platform with capabilities to invest across the life cycle of companies and products within the key life science sectors. By combining scale investments and hands-on operational leadership, Blackstone Life Sciences helps bring to market promising new medicines and medical technologies that improve patients’ lives and currently has $12 billion in assets under management.
The Goodwin team was led by Richard Hoffman, Lisa Haddad, Katherine Baudistel, Stuart Cable and Andrew Schipper.
For additional details on the agreement, please read the press release and coverage in Law360, The Deal and Reuters.