Strides Arcolab to sell its Agilia Specialities Division to Mylan Inc. for US $1.6 Billion

 

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Strides Arcolab Limited has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its specialties subsidiary, Agila Specialties Private Limited, and simultaneously its overseas specialties subsidiary, Agila Specialties Asia Pte. Limited, Singapore, has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its subsidiaries to Mylan Inc. (NASDAQ: MYL). Under the terms of the agreement, Strides and its subsidiary will receive an aggregate sum of US$1,600 million in cash on closing and a potential additional consideration of up to US$250 million subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions by Strides. As announced simultaneously, the division recorded sales of US$255 million and EBITDA of US$86 million for the historical year ended 31 December, 2012.

The transaction has been independently approved by the respective Board of Directors of Strides and Mylan. The agreement to sell Agila Specialties Asia Pte. Limited, Singapore, has been independently approved by the respective Board of Directors of Agila Specialties Asia Pte. Limited and Mylan. Following successful closing of the transaction, Strides proposes to utilise proceeds towards, inter alia, retiring debt, providing a pre-tax return of approximately US$700 million to US$800 million to shareholders, and costs related to the satisfaction of contingent conditions.

Headquartered in Bangalore, India, Agila is a leading global speciality injectables business focused on key domains including oncolytics, penems, penicillin, cephalosporins and ophthalmics in India and overseas. Agila operates from nine worldclass global manufacturing facilities, including one of the largest sterile capacities in India and amongst the largest lyophilisation capacities in the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Mylan is a global pharmaceutical company with a growing portfolio of more than 1,100 generic pharmaceuticals and several brand medications. In addition, it offers a wide range of antiretroviral therapies and operates one of the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers. The company currently markets products in approximately 140 countries and territories and employs a workforce of more than 20,000 people.

Strides will continue to operate and develop its Pharma business and front-end businesses in India and Africa. Strides will also focus on developing a fully integrated Biotech business which will be fully funded post this transaction. Commenting on the transaction, Arun Kumar, Executive Vice Chairman and Group CEO of Strides Arcolab, said: “The sale of Agila demonstrates our commitment to maximising value to our shareholders. Our investments in the business, together with the operational excellence of our employees, have led to the creation a global, high-quality specialty injectables business with an industry-leading pipeline and best-in-class infrastructure. We believe Agila, its partners, customers and employees across all of its markets will benefit significantly from Mylan’s global reach and strong position in the global generic and specialty pharmaceutical sector. I am excited by the combination of our Agila business with Mylan as it allows Mylan to leverage its operational base to become a leading global injectables company in the coming years and offers great opportunities to the employees who have made Agila what it is today. Mylan’s long standing commitment to quality, its track record of integrity and reliability, and powerful global platform make Mylan the perfect fit for this business, both culturally and from a commercial perspective”.

Mr. V.S. Iyer, CEO of Agila Specialties, said “This transaction is an endorsement of the world-class capabilities the Agila team has created and serves as a perfect bolt-on strategy for the future of Agila and its employees”. Heather Bresch, CEO of Mylan, said: “The addition of Agila to Mylan’s existing injectables platform will immediately create a new, powerful global leader in this fastgrowing, attractive market segment and accelerate our target of becoming a top-three global player in injectables. Agila’s broad product portfolio and pipeline, which is very complementary to Mylan’s, is the result of best-in-class research and development andan industry-leading track record of securing product approvals. Importantly, Agila will bring Mylan one of the most state-of-the-art, high-quality injectables manufacturing platforms in the industry. We are excited to welcome the Agila employees to Mylan’s growing global team and anticipate a seamless and rapid integration of the Agila business.”

The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals. Jefferies International Limited is acting as sole financial advisor to Strides Arcolab. Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is acting as lead international counsel, supported by DSK Legal, Haynes and Boone, LLP, and Pinheiro Neto Advogados. The Company will be hosting an investor / analyst call at 04.30 p.m., India time on 28 February, 2013, to discuss the transaction. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation to shareholders or potential investors.

Source: Strides Press Release

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