AstraZeneca Bolsters Late-Stage Cardiovascular Disease Pipeline with Omthera Pharmaceuticals Purchase

Abstract

In its second cardiovascular disease-focused purchase of 2013, AstraZeneca has agreed to acquire Omthera Pharmaceuticals for approximately US$323 M plus Contingent Value Rights that equate to approximately US$120 M in total. With the acquisition, AstraZeneca will gain Omthera’s sole product candidate Epanova™, an omega-3 free fatty acid composition that has successfully completed two Phase III trials in patients with hypertriglyceridaemia and which will face competition in the prescription omega-3 market from GlaxoSmithKline’s Lovaza® (omega-3-acid ethyl esters) and Amarin’s Vascepa® (icosapent ethyl).