Pharma BD Deal Intelligence
A mixed outcome: Sobi's ~$915M acquisition of Dova closed in November 2019 for Doptelet, but the $1.50/share CVR tied to a chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia approval lapsed after that indication never won FDA clearance.
Outcome grade pending — assessed 5 years post-close.
Full analysis, sources & comparables →Jefferies analyst Eun Yang noted Doptelet sales 'dipped 12% quarter over quarter because of competitive pricing pressure and payer restrictions' and Q2…
Evaluate analysts projected Doptelet could achieve $1.88B in peak sales across approved indications, citing a 'cleaner clinical profile than Promacta' with no…
"Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi) has agreed to acquire US-based Dova Pharmaceuticals in a transaction valued up to $915m," expanding Sobi's haematology…
Source summaries from our enrichment pipeline; follow links for originals.
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Sobi agreed to acquire Dova Pharmaceuticals for $27.50/share or approximately $915 million, with an additional $1.50/share CVR linked to FDA label expansion. Lead asset is Doptelet (avatrombopag) for thrombocytopenia in chronic liver disease and chronic ITP. Sobi completed the acquisition by merger on November 12, 2019. The CVR required FDA approval of Doptelet in chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) by December 31, 2022; that approval was not obtained — the Phase 3 CIT trial reported in 2022 and avatrombopag remains approved only in chronic liver disease and chronic ITP — so the contingent $1.50/share milestone lapsed.
Assessment window: 5yr post-close.
$1.9B Evaluate peak sales projection for Doptelet across ITP+CLD
Thrombocytopenia is a low platelet count that increases bleeding risk; in chronic liver disease (CLD) it complicates invasive procedures, while in chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) the immune system destroys platelets. Both populations historically relied on platelet transfusions or first-generation TPO receptor agonists; oral once-daily TPO-RAs without dietary restrictions or hepatotoxicity warnings remain commercially attractive.
The TPO receptor agonist class is led by Novartis' Promacta/Revolade (eltrombopag), an oral TPO-RA with a >$1.5B annual run rate but encumbered by food-related dietary restrictions and a hepatotoxicity warning. Amgen's Nplate (romiplostim) is a peptibody injection used in chronic ITP; Rigel's Tavalisse (fostamatinib, SYK inhibitor) launched in 2018 as a chronic-ITP option for refractory patients; rituximab and steroids remain off-label staples. Doptelet (avatrombopag) was FDA-approved in May 2018 for thrombocytopenia in CLD undergoing procedures and June 2019 for chronic ITP, differentiating on a cleaner clinical profile vs. Promacta — no dietary restrictions, no hepatotoxicity warning. By acquiring Dova for up to $915M ($27.50/share + $1.50 CVR tied to chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia/CIT approval), Sobi gained a US hematology callpoint adjacent to its Synagis/Kineret/Gamifant franchise, with Evaluate projecting $1.88B peak across approved indications. However, BioPharma Dive noted Q2 2019 Doptelet sales of $3.5M missed Wall Street's $5.6M, with Jefferies' Eun Yang flagging payer restrictions.
| Deal | Year | Value | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sobi (Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB) / Dova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (this deal) | 2019 | $915M | — |
| Amgen Inc. / Micromet Inc. | 2012 | $1.2B | 88 |
| Servier / Shire plc (Oncology Business) | 2018 | $2.4B | 88 |
| AstraZeneca PLC / Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 2020 | $39.0B | 86 |
| Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB / Biovitrum | 2001 | $493M | 84 |
| Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. / Astex Pharmaceuticals | 2013 | $886M | 79 |
| AbbVie Inc. / Pharmacyclics Inc. | 2015 | $21.0B | 79 |
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