Takeda Agrees to Divest Select OTC and Non-core Assets to Acino for Over $200 Million USD

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced that it has entered into an agreement to divest a portfolio of select over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription pharmaceutical assets in a number of Near East, Middle East and Africa (NEMEA) countries within its Growth and Emerging Markets Business Unit to Acino for a total value in excess of $200 million USD. This is the third transaction in FY19 that furthers Takeda’s strategy to focus on business areas core to its long-term growth and facilitate rapid deleveraging following its acquisition of Shire.

“The divestment of non-core assets sold in NEMEA represents the continued execution of our strategy to optimize our portfolio, invest in the defined core business areas, and accelerate our progress toward reaching our target leverage ratio,” said Costa Saroukos, Chief Financial Officer, Takeda.

While these products continue to play important roles in meeting patient needs, they are primarily outside of Takeda’s chosen business areas – Gastroenterology (GI), Rare Diseases, Plasma-Derived Therapies, Oncology and Neuroscience – core to its global long-term growth.

“Takeda remains committed to this region, as we continue our work in accelerating access to our life-changing portfolio of innovative products to meet the needs of patients. We will do this via our commercial activities and Takeda’s Access to Medicines program,” said Ricardo Marek, President, Growth and Emerging Markets Business Unit, Takeda. “We are confident that Acino is best positioned to provide uninterrupted access and supply of the divested products to patients.”

Takeda intends to use the proceeds from this divestiture to reduce debt and continue to deleverage towards its target of 2.0x net debt/adjusted EBITDA over the next three to five years. Takeda is committed to rapid deleveraging driven by strong cash flow and divestiture proceeds, while also simplifying its portfolio.