By Sherri Oslick --
GlaxoSmithKline of London, UK and Philadelphia, PA and Reliant Pharmaceuticals of Liberty Corner, NJ have announced an agreement under which GSK will acquire Reliant for $1.65 billion in cash. Reliant is a privately held pharmaceutical company focused on cardiovascular therapeutics.
Reliant's therapeutic portfolio has been developed through in-licensing and development of cardiovascular medicines. Included in its portfolio is Lovaza (formerly Omacor®; omega-3-acid ethyl esters), which is used to treat adult patients with very high triglyceride levels, and which was launched in 2005 and is licensed (in the U.S. and Puerto Rico) from Pronova BioPharma ASA of Norway. Lovaza will compliment GSK's primary cardiovascular therapeutic, Coreg CR® (carvedilol phosphate), which is used to treat heart failure and hypertension.
In addition to Lovaza, Reliant's portfolio includes DynaCirc CR® (isradipine) and InnoPran XL® (propanolol hydrochloride), both of which are used to treat hypertension, Rythmol® SR (propafenone hydrochloride), which is used to treat arrhythmia, and Axid® (nizatidine), which is used to treat ulcers The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of the year, pending FTC approval.
For additional information regarding GSK's acquisition of Reliant, please see:
- GSK's press release
- Reliant's press release
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