Flashback 2016!

Year 2016 was a mixed year for the pharma industry with increasing number of acquisitions and mergers, foreign investments, layoffs, regulatory hurdles and new challenges. Biospectrum takes a look at the top Mergers and Acquisitions in 2016.

1. A seed giant is born!
Bayer and Monsanto announced that they signed a definitive merger agreement under which Bayer will acquire Monsanto for USD 128 per share in an all-cash transaction. This transaction brings together two different, but highly complementary businesses. The combined business will benefit from Monsanto's leadership in Seeds & Traits and Climate Corporation platform along with Bayer's broad Crop Protection product line across a comprehensive range of indications and crops in all key geographies. As a result, growers will benefit from a broad set of solutions to meet their current and future needs, including enhanced solutions in seeds and traits, digital agriculture, and crop protection.

2. Pfizer beefs up cancer portfolio with $14bn Medivation deal

Pfizer and Medivation, have announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Pfizer will acquire Medivation, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing small molecules for oncology, for $81.50 a share in cash for a total enterprise value of approximately $14 billion.

3. Quintiles is now QuintilesIMS

Quintiles IMS Holdings, Inc. announced that it has successfully completed its merger of equal's transaction between IMS Health Holdings, Inc. and Quintiles Transnational Holdings Inc. The merger of IMS Health, a leading global information and technology services company, and Quintiles, the world's largest provider of product development and integrated healthcare services, creates a leading information and tech-enabled healthcare service provider with global scale and reach, and a full suite of end-to-end clinical and commercial offerings

4.AstraZeneca snaps up Amgen's Colorado plant

Pharma giant AstraZeneca is shelling out $64.5 million for Amgen's facility in Longmont, CO, further expanding its footprint on the outskirts of Denver. AstraZeneca plans to "immediately" begin utilizing the space to warehouse items needed to support manufacturing operations in Boulder, according to company spokesperson.

5. Abbott buys Vietnamese drug manufacturer Glomed
Abbott ($ABT) picked up Vietnamese drug manufacturer Glomed for an undisclosed price in a deal that gives the pharma giant two manufacturing facilities in that country in addition to expanding its visibility in Southeast Asia. Abbott said it intends to focus on anti-infectives, gastroenterology, pain management, cardiovascular, respiratory and women's health, and over-the-counter products.
Taisho purchases 24.5 percent stake in Vietnam's DHG Pharmaceutical
Tokyo-based Taisho Pharmaceutical has bought a 24.5 percent stake in Vietnam's DHG Pharmaceutical, the country's top drug distributor that handles a wide range of prescription therapies, over-the-counter treatments and personal care products.

6. Piramal acquires Ash Stevens for $42.95 million
Piramal Enterprises announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the entire stake in US-based contract development and manufacturing organization Ash Stevens for $42.95 million and an earn-out consideration capped at $10 million.

7.Fujifilm to buy Takeda's research chemical arm

Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp is in final talks to buy Takeda Pharmaceutical Co's 70 percent stake in Wako Pure Chemical Industries for about 200 billion yen ($1.94 billion). Takeda's plans to acquire Valeant's business and sell Wako Pure Chemical seem to be part of the major Japanese drugmaker's efforts to concentrate its resources on developing new medicines in such fields as cancer and digestive system disease.

8. Chinese foray into Australia's vitamin market
A Chinese group led by drugmaker Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding and private equity firm Primavera Capital has acquired Australian vitamins maker Vitaco Holdings for A$313.7 million ($239 million). Vitaco is best known for the production of its Nutra-Life vitamin brand, as well as its Aussie Bodies sports nutrition range.

9. Intas on acquisition spree
Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. ("Intas"), through its wholly owned subsidiary Accord Healthcare . ("Accord"), announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire Actavis UK Ltd. & Actavis Ireland Ltd. ("Actavis UK & Ireland") from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. ("Teva") for an enterprise value of approximately £600 million payable in cash.

10. Paraxel acquires ExecuPharm
PAREXEL International Corporation announced that the Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ExecuPharm, Inc. ("ExecuPharm"), a leading, global functional service provider (FSP) serving the biopharmaceutical industry. Established in 1995, ExecuPharm provides clients with qualified professionals across functional areas, such as clinical monitoring or study management, along with associated operational activities including on boarding, training, line management, performance management and policy administration.

11. Avara to acquire AstraZeneca's Avlon facility
Avara Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. ("Avara") has announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Avara will acquire AstraZeneca's manufacturing facility located in Avlon, Avonmouth, England. Under the terms of the agreement, about 210 Avlon employees will remain employed at the site, and the plant will continue to manufacture critical AstraZeneca pharmaceutical products on a contract basis.

12. AstraZeneca to sell antibiotics branch to Pfizer
AstraZeneca has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer) to sell the commercialization and development rights to its late-stage small molecule antibiotics business in most markets globally outside the US, in a deal worth more than £1.1bn

13. Fosun buys Gland Pharma for $1.3bn
China's Fosun Pharmaceutical Group acquires 96 percent stake in India's Gland Pharma for $1.3-1.5 billion. Hyderabad-based Gland Pharma is backed by global private equity firm KKR & Co and manufactures generic injectable pharmaceutical products.