Novo Nordisk, Novartis and Eli Lilly have been mentioned as potential buyers for Denmark’s privately-owned Ascendis Pharma of Denmark.
Bloomsberg says that “a person with knowledge of the matter” claims that offers of around $400 million for the Copenhagen-headquartered firm. A decision could be made in the next month or so, the source claims.
Ascendis strategy involves improving the therapeutic benefits of marketed blockbusters, using its prodrug technology platform called TransCon.
The company notes that TransCon conjugates peptides, proteins and small molecules to a carrier molecule in a reversible manner and “this unique reversibility allows an unmodified active drug to be released in the body in a controlled, sustained-release manner”.
Ascendis has six products in its portfolio, including once-weekly insulin and human growth hormone products. Founded in December 2007, it has R&D sites in Heidelberg, Germany, and Short Hills, New Jersey and its include Sofinnova Partners, Gilde HealthCare Partners and TechnoStart.
