Japanese pharma major Takeda has entered into an agreement to divest a portfolio of select non-core prescription pharmaceutical products sold predominantly in Europe and Canada to Cheplapharm for $562 million. Cheplapharm is a specialty pharmaceutical company headquartered in Germany with a 25-year history of acquiring, integrating and growing pharmaceutical products.
 
The portfolio to be divested to Cheplapharm includes cardiovascular/metabolic and anti-inflammatory products along with calcium. The portfolio generated 2019 net sales of approximately $260 million. While the products included in the sale address key patient needs in these countries, they are outside of Takeda’s five key business areas. With a more focused portfolio, the divestiture further enables Takeda’s Europe & Canada Business Unit (EUCAN) to focus on and drive strategic core growth areas. In April 2020, Takeda announced to divest EUCAN’s non-core over-the-counter (OTC) products to Orifarm Group.
 
“These divestments represent another important milestone in our portfolio simplification and optimization strategy as we position Takeda for continued success across our five key business areas: Gastroenterology (GI), Rare Diseases, Plasma-Derived Therapies, Oncology and Neuroscience,” said Giles Platford, president, EUCAN, Takeda.
 
Costa Saroukos, chief financial officer, Takeda, said, “Today’s announcement allows Takeda to continue to be patient-focused as we streamline and optimize our portfolio according to our global long-term strategy. While the trusted products included in the sale address key patient needs in these countries, they are outside of our core business areas of focus. We are confident that Cheplapharm is the right partner to ensure patients continue to have access to these products.”
 
The sale of these non-core prescription products supports Takeda’s continued divestiture program. Last month, Takeda announced an agreement to divest Takeda Consumer Healthcare Company Limited to Blackstone for approximately $2.3 billion. In June, Takeda agreed to divest a portfolio of non-core assets sold exclusively in the Asia Pacific region to Celltrion for up to $278 million; in April, Takeda announced the sale of non-core OTC products in Europe to Orifarm Group for up to approximately $670 million, including the sale of two manufacturing sites in Denmark and Poland; and in March, Takeda announced the sale of non-core products in Latin America to Hypera Pharma for $825 million, as well as completed the previously announced sales of non-core assets spanning the Russia-CIS region to STADA and in countries spanning the Near East, Middle East and Africa region to Acino.