Sanofi-Aventis to acquire Acambis in $550 million deal

NEW YORK French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis will buy United Kingdom-based Acambis in an agreement announced Friday.

Sanofi-Aventis will pay $550.7 million for the British vaccine maker, or $3.79 a share.

Sanofi-Aventis has had a partnership with Acambis since November through its subsidiary, Sanofi Pasteur. The two companies were commercializing vaccines against dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and West Nile virus. Acambis is also developing vaccines against flu and herpes and won a 10-year, $425 million contract with the United States government to supply a smallpox vaccine.

“This mutually beneficial acquisition is a logical step building upon Sanofi Pasteur and Acambis’ decade-long partnership on key projects to develop and market vaccines of the future,” stated Wayne Pisano, chief executive officer of Sanofi Pasteur.