Pharma BD Deal Intelligence

Genzyme Corporation / ILEX Oncology Inc.

2004 · Acquisition/Merger · $1.0B · Complete

CALLED IT — OFF BY 1

ILEX gave Genzyme a real oncology franchise and, eventually, Lemtrada — but the MS blockbuster bet undershot its own hype and hit safety-driven decline within a decade of launch.

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The coverage arc

Feb 26, 2004 SEC EDGAR - ILEX Oncology 8-K Exhibit 99.1 Bullish

This transaction is a very good strategic fit for Genzyme that provides us with a solid franchise in the important field of oncology... the foundation for a…

Dec 20, 2004 U.S. Federal Trade Commission Neutral

The FTC conditionally cleared Genzyme's $1 billion acquisition of ILEX Oncology, requiring divestiture of Campath rights for solid-organ-transplant acute…

Jan 01, 2017 WhatisBiotechnology.org Neutral

ILEX had taken Campath through approval in 2001 for fludarabine-refractory CLL; Genzyme acquired ILEX in 2004 to access alemtuzumab and later repositioned the…

Source summaries from our enrichment pipeline; follow links for originals.

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Stock-for-stock; San Antonio TX; Campath/alemtuzumab; FTC required Schering AG divestiture for SOT use

Did it work? Outcome assessment

ILEX gave Genzyme a real oncology franchise and, eventually, Lemtrada — but the MS blockbuster bet undershot its own hype and hit safety-driven decline within a decade of launch.

Strategic verdict
Partially Achieved

Key facts

Related deals — scored

DealYearValueOutcome
Genzyme Corporation / ILEX Oncology Inc. (this deal)2004$1.0B66
Genzyme Corporation / SangStat Medical Corporation2003$600M78
Genzyme Corporation / Biomatrix Inc.2000$700M65
Genzyme Corporation / Bone Care International, Inc.2005$600M61
Genzyme Corporation / Novazyme Pharmaceuticals Inc.2001$138M54
Genzyme Corporation / Verigen AG2005$50M29
UCB SA / Celltech Group plc2004$2.7B92

Compare all 7 side-by-side →

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