Acquisition Reinforces Gilead’s Leadership in Developing Innovative Therapies For Challenging Liver Diseases
Gilead office. (Credit: Coolcaesar from Wikimedia Commons)
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced the completion of the previously announced transaction to acquire CymaBay Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBAY) for approximately $4.3 billion in total equity value. The addition of CymaBay’s investigational lead product candidate, seladelpar for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) including pruritus, complements Gilead’s existing liver portfolio and aligns with its long-standing commitment to bringing transformational medicines to patients.
“The acquisition of CymaBay brings us a potential best in disease therapy that could transform the treatment landscape for people with primary biliary cholangitis,” said Daniel O’Day, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gilead Sciences. “I want to thank the CymaBay team for their efforts and commitment to addressing this high unmet need. We look forward to advancing seladelpar and building on Gilead’s more than 20-year legacy of treating and curing liver disease on a global scale.”
On February 12, 2024, Gilead and CymaBay announced that CymaBay, Gilead and Pacific Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Gilead (“Purchaser”), had signed a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which a tender offer would be made. Pursuant to the merger agreement, Gilead and Purchaser commenced a tender offer on February 23, 2024, to acquire all outstanding shares of CymaBay at a price of $32.50 per share. On March 22, 2024, Gilead successfully completed the tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of CymaBay and accepted for payment all shares validly tendered and not withdrawn as of the expiration time of the tender offer, and Gilead will promptly pay for such shares, which shares represented approximately 77.3% of CymaBay’s outstanding shares (not including 5,095,996 shares delivered through Notices of Guaranteed Delivery, representing approximately 4.2% of the shares outstanding). Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, Purchaser merged with and into CymaBay on March 22, 2024. All outstanding shares of common stock of CymaBay, other than (i) shares owned by Gilead, Purchaser or any of Gilead’s direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, (ii) shares owned by CymaBay, (iii) shares irrevocably accepted by Purchaser for purchase pursuant to the tender offer and (iv) shares held by CymaBay stockholders who properly demand appraisal for their shares under Delaware law, were cancelled and converted into the right to receive cash equal to the $32.50 price per share.
As a result of the completion of the merger, CymaBay has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Gilead and the common stock of CymaBay will no longer be listed for trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, which is expected to take effect as of the close of market on March 22, 2024.
This transaction is expected to be accounted for as an asset acquisition and reduce Gilead’s GAAP and non-GAAP 2024 EPS by approximately $3.10 – $3.20. Reflecting acquisition costs, associated operating expenses and lower interest income, we expect this transaction to reduce Gilead’s GAAP and non-GAAP 2024 EPS by approximately $3.35 – $3.45 relative to the full year 2024 guidance shared on February 6, 2024.
Seladelpar is an investigational product that has not been approved for use anywhere globally, and its safety and efficacy have not been established.
Source: Company Press Release