Endo to Acquire Specialty Pharmaceutical Company NuPathe
MALVERN, Pa., Dec. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
-- Accretive transaction furthers Endo's transformation into leading specialty healthcare company
-- Builds on Endo's leadership in pain management through addition of ZECUITY(R) (sumatriptan iontophoretic transdermal system), the first and only FDA approved patch to treat migraine
-- Proven Endo branded pharmaceuticals commercial team to execute ZECUITY launch, expected in first half 2014
Endo Health Solutions (Nasdaq: ENDP) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Endo will acquire NuPathe Inc. (Nasdaq: PATH) for $2.85 per share in cash, or approximately $105 million. In addition to the upfront cash payment, NuPathe shareholders will receive rights to receive additional cash payments of up to $3.15 per share if specified net sales of NuPathe's migraine treatment ZECUITY are achieved over time. Endo expects meaningful cost synergies from the transaction, which is expected to be accretive to Endo's adjusted diluted earnings per share within the first 12 months of closing.
ZECUITY, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2013 for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults, is the first and only FDA-approved prescription migraine patch. ZECUITY is a disposable, single-use, battery-powered transdermal patch that actively delivers sumatriptan, the most widely prescribed migraine medication, through the skin. ZECUITY provides relief of both migraine headache pain and migraine-related nausea (MRN). ZECUITY was approved based upon an extensive development program with phase 3 trials that included 793 patients using nearly 10,000 ZECUITY patches. In these trials, ZECUITY demonstrated a favorable safety profile and was effective at relieving migraine headache pain and migraine-related nausea two hours after patch activation.
"The acquisition of NuPathe enhances our branded pharmaceutical portfolio and is well aligned with our strategy of acquiring late-stage products for commercialization," said Rajiv De Silva, president and CEO of Endo. "We're excited about the opportunity to launch ZECUITY, a treatment that could be an option for millions of migraine patients, including those with migraine-related nausea. Following the close of the deal, we plan to launch ZECUITY in the first half of 2014 by leveraging our existing commercial expertise in pain and migraine management and the current infrastructure of our branded pharmaceuticals business overall."
Armando Anido, chief executive officer of NuPathe, stated, "Our team has worked very hard to develop products that we believe will provide significant clinical advantages over current treatments for patient populations facing diseases of the central nervous system. We believe this acquisition by Endo will increase the potential for ZECUITY to make a meaningful difference for patients we have worked so hard to serve."
Under the terms of the merger agreement, an affiliate of Endo will promptly commence a tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of NuPathe's common stock for $2.85 per share in cash and the right to receive contingent cash consideration payments of up to $3.15 per share if specified net sales milestones for NuPathe's migraine treatment ZECUITY are achieved. The contingent cash consideration payments will not be publicly traded. The contingent cash consideration payments can be summarized as follows:
-- $2.15 per share if net sales of ZECUITY exceed $100 million during any
four-quarter period prior to the ninth anniversary of the first
commercial sale of ZECUITY; and
-- An additional $1.00 per share if net sales of ZECUITY exceed $300 million
during any four-quarter period prior to the ninth anniversary of the
first commercial sale of ZECUITY.
The affiliate of Endo that consummates the tender offer will enter into a separate Contingent Cash Consideration Agreement with American Stock Transfer & Trust Company as Paying Agent to provide for the payment of the contingent cash consideration payments. The stockholders of NuPathe will be third party beneficiaries under this agreement. Pursuant to the terms of the Contingent Cash Consideration Agreement, Endo will guarantee the obligations of its affiliate to make the contingent cash consideration payments.
Following the successful completion of the tender offer, Endo will acquire all remaining shares not tendered in the tender offer through a second-step merger at the same price and the obligation to make the same contingent cash consideration payments as was deliverable to those stockholders tendering their shares in the tender offer. The tender offer and withdrawal rights are expected to expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time on the 20(th) business day after the launch of the tender offer, unless extended in accordance with the merger agreement and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The consummation of the tender offer is subject to various conditions, including a minimum tender of a majority of outstanding NuPathe shares on a fully diluted basis, the expiration or termination of any applicable waiting periods under applicable competition laws, and other customary conditions. The board of directors of NuPathe unanimously approved the transaction.
The transaction is expected to be completed in early 2014.
Skadden Arps is acting as a legal advisor to Endo. MTS Securities, LLC, an affiliate of MTS Health Partners, LP, is acting as financial advisor and rendered a fairness opinion to NuPathe, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is acting as legal advisor to NuPathe.
About ZECUITY
ZECUITY is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. ZECUITY is a single-use, battery-powered patch applied to the upper arm or thigh during a migraine. Following application and with a press of a button, ZECUITY initiates transdermal delivery (through the skin), bypassing the gastrointestinal tract. Throughout the four-hour dosing period, the microprocessor within ZECUITY continuously monitors skin resistance and adjusts drug delivery accordingly to ensure delivery of 6.5 mg of sumatriptan, the most widely prescribed migraine medication, with minimal patient-to-patient variability. ZECUITY is a registered trademark of NuPathe Inc.
Important Safety Information
Patients should not take ZECUITY if they have heart disease, a history of heart disease or stroke, peripheral vascular disease (narrowing of blood vessels to your legs, arms, stomach or kidney), transient ischemic attack (TIA) or problems with blood circulation, uncontrolled blood pressure, migraines that cause temporary paralysis on one side of the body or basilar migraine, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or other disturbances of heart rhythm. Very rarely, certain people, even some without heart disease, have had serious heart-related problems after taking triptans like ZECUITY.
Patients should not use ZECUITY if they have taken other migraine medications such as ergotamine medications or other triptans in the last 24 hours or if they have taken monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) inhibitors within the last 2 weeks.
Patients should not use ZECUITY during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Patients should not use ZECUITY if they have an allergy to sumatriptan or components of ZECUITY or if they have had allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) following use of ZECUITY. If patients develop ACD, they should talk to their healthcare provider before using sumatriptan in another form.
ZECUITY, like other triptans, may be associated with a potentially life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome, mainly when used together with certain types of antidepressants including serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Patients should tell their healthcare provider before using ZECUITY if they have heart disease or a family history of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol or diabetes; have gone through menopause; are a smoker; have had epilepsy or seizures or if they are pregnant, nursing or thinking about becoming pregnant.
The most common side effects of ZECUITY are application site pain, tingling, itching, warmth and discomfort. Most patients experience some skin redness after removing ZECUITY. This redness typically goes away in 24 hours.
Go to www.zecuity.com for Full Prescribing Information, Patient Information and Instructions for Use.
About Endo
Endo Health Solutions Inc. is a U.S.-based specialty healthcare company with four distinct business segments that are focused on branded and generic pharmaceuticals, devices and services and provide quality products to its customers while improving the lives of patients. Through its operating companies - AMS, Endo Pharmaceuticals, HealthTronics and Qualitest - Endo is dedicated to finding solutions for the unmet needs of patients.
About NuPathe
NuPathe Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on innovative neuroscience solutions for diseases of the central nervous system including neurological and psychiatric disorders.