CELLTRION
Celltrion (KRX:068270) announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire product assets for the Asia Pacific region from Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG (“Takeda”) in an effort to strengthen its R&D capabilities in the Global Small Molecule Drug sector.
This signing allows Celltrion to acquire Takeda’s Primary Care businesses in the Asia Pacific region and secure rights for patent, trademark, approval and sales of a total of 18 prescription and over-the-counter brands currently available in 9 markets in the region, namely, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. These products grossed a combined sale of approximately $140 million USD (approx. KRW 170 billion) in Fiscal Year 2018 in these markets. These products are expected to be distributed by Celltrion Pharm, a Celltrion affiliate company, in Korea and by Celltrion Healthcare in other AP territories leveraging their distribution and marketing capabilities.
Celltrion agreed to acquire these rights for USD 278.3 million. It will acquire the business through its wholly owned subsidiary in Singapore. Subject to approval from relevant local and/or foreign authorities, Celltrion plans to complete the transaction by the end of the fourth quarter this year.
The acquired product portfolio includes global new drug Nesina, Actos (both for diabetes) and Edarbi (hypertension) and also well-known OTC drugs such as Whituben (cold remedy) and Albothyl (stomatitis). Among them, Nesina and Edarbi are protected through product patents until 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Takeda and Celltrion have also entered into a manufacturing and supply agreement under which Takeda will continue to manufacture the portfolio of divested products and supply them to Celltrion. Celltrion plans to receive relevant technology transfer to start local manufacturing at Celltrion Pharma’s cGMP production facilities for some of the key acquired products for sales in local and foreign markets.
Celltrion’s first large-scale M&A deal, this acquisition gives Celltrion a pivotal opportunity to establish a robust presence as a local original drug provider in the Korean market. Demand has been high for treatments for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia in Korea. Despite this trend, multinational pharmaceuticals have constituted a majority of the local supplies. Celltrion hopes to position itself as a stable supplier of high-quality, made-in-Korea original drugs and contribute to the reinforced financial strength of the national health system.
The deal also provides significant potential for the company’s sustainable growth. Celltrion plans to quickly land these products in the Asia Pacific market, tapping into Takeda’s established brand power for prescription drugs.
Celltrion expects this acquisition to allow the company to mature as a comprehensive global pharmaceutical company, as it adds a powerful small molecule product lineup to its already strong biopharmaceutical pipeline, which includes autoimmune disease and anti-cancer drugs.
The competitive over-the-counter drug brands added through this deal will also help raise Celltrion’s brand awareness among consumers.
Meanwhile, diabetes and hypertension drug markets in the Asia Pacific region were worth KRW 3 trillion and KRW 2.76 trillion1 last year, respectively. The combined market size of these two segments is expected to double to KRW 11 trillion by 2030.
This deal is expected to strengthen Celltrion’s global R&D capability and help spur the development of new drugs and insulin biosimilars. Celltrion will utilize the new drug pipeline to complete its portfolio for diabetes and hypertension treatments. Based on these efforts, Celltrion will continue to tap the U.S. and global procurement markets to provide high-quality and cost-effective pharmaceuticals around the world.
Celltrion CEO Kee Woo Sung said, ”With 17 million diabetes and hypertension patients in Korea alone and more than 60% of the elderly population have three or more chronic diseases, the market for chronic disease drugs is becoming more important. By acquiring the rights for a selection of Takeda’s products in Asia Pacific, Celltrion will be able to localize essential drugs for diabetes and hypertension, for which many local patients had to depend on imported drugs. This transaction will help us contribute to improved public healthcare and more resilient National Health finance in this super-aged society. Celltrion will take a big step to become a comprehensive global biopharmaceutical company.”
About Celltrion, Inc
Headquartered in Incheon, Korea, Celltrion is a leading biopharmaceutical company, specializing in the research, development and manufacture of small molecules, biosimilars and innovative drugs. Celltrion strives to provide more affordable biosimilar mAbs to patients who previously had limited access to advanced therapeutics. Celltrion received FDA and EC’s approval for INFLECTRA® and Remsima® , respectively, the world’s first mAb biosimilar approved from regulatory agencies in developed countries. For more information, visit www.celltrion.com .
1. IQVIA, 2019, Market size of diabetes treatments in 8 APAC countries and hypertension treatments in 6 APAC countries
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200611005429/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Alta Semper Secures USD 57.5 Million from EIB Group and IFC for Growth Fund II to Expand Healthcare Access Across Africa13.1.2026 19:30:00 CET | Press release
Alta Semper Capital LLP (“Alta Semper”), a London-based private equity firm focused on healthcare and consumer investments in high-growth markets, today announced that it has secured USD 57.5 million in commitments to Alta Semper Growth Fund II. These commitments come from a consortium of investors including the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). This landmark partnership was signified earlier today with a momentous signing ceremony held at a Government Ministry in Cairo. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260113837616/en/ Andrew McDowell (EIB), Cheick Oumar Sylla (IFC), Gelsomina Vigliotti (EIB), Rania Al-Mashat (Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation of Egypt), Bassel Rahmy (MSMEDA), Afsane Jetha (CEO, Alta Semper) and Mark Bryson-Richardson MBE (British Ambassador to Egypt) at the signing ceremony in Cairo. (Photo: AETOSWire)
500 Global and Creators HQ Support Creators and Founders Building Startups Collectively Valued at US$130M+13.1.2026 17:00:00 CET | Press release
500 Global, one of the world’s most active Silicon Valley-based venture capital firms1, and Creators HQ, the first content creator hub in the UAE and the Middle East enabling the creator ecosystem globally, announced the Creators Ventures Accelerator program is building and supporting creator-led startups collectively valued at over US$130 million.2 The Creators Ventures Accelerator received over 1,100 applications from content creators and technology startup founders across more than 70 countries. Following a competitive selection process, 21 creators and founders were chosen for the program. This cohort serves a community of 20M+ followers, subscribers, and users across platforms. “Creators represent a growing class of bona fide entrepreneurs, with 50 million creators globally, projected to grow at 10-20% annually over the next 5 years. The first iteration of this industry was built on visibility and virality to monetize. With consumers getting savvier and more discerning, we believe
Nexo Becomes First-Ever Title Partner of the U.S. ATP 500 Dallas Open in Multi-Year Deal13.1.2026 16:30:00 CET | Press release
The agreement builds on Nexo’s long-term approach to partnerships with established global sports institutions. Nexo, the digital assets wealth platform, has been named the U.S. ATP 500 Dallas Open’s first-ever Title Partner under a multi-year agreement beginning in 2026, as the company advances its long-term brand strategy through leading global sports properties. The partnership was unveiled in Dallas alongside the debut of the Nexo Dallas Open brand and the resurfacing of two public tennis courts in North Texas. As one of only two ATP 500 tournaments in the U.S. and the country’s sole indoor ATP Tour championship, the Dallas Open places Nexo among a limited group of ATP 500 title partners. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260113901822/en/ The Nexo Dallas Open “This partnership with Nexo represents a transformative milestone for the Dallas Open,” said Tournament Director Peter Lebedevs. “Securing a title spons
Blue Matter Establishes New Capabilities in Biopharma Research & Development Led by Partner, Tara Austraat-Churik13.1.2026 15:01:00 CET | Press release
Blue Matter is pleased to announce that it has established a practice area dedicated to serving clients in biopharmaceutical Research & Development (R&D). The practice is led by Tara Austraat-Churik, a Partner who joined the firm in September 2025. Tara Austraat-Churik has been serving life science clients for more than 20 years. Her areas of expertise include strategy development and implementation, operating model and organizational design, and process optimization in R&D and Medical Affairs. Prior to joining Blue Matter, she served as Managing Director in R&D, Health, Science, and Wellness at EY. She has a robust background in consulting, which also includes roles at Booz Allen Hamilton, Navitas, WPP, and IBM. She holds a BA and MA from the University of Notre Dame and an MSc in Translational Medicine from the University of Edinburgh. The R&D practice, according to Austraat-Churik, exists to help biopharma companies simplify and accelerate the pathway to market. She adds, “R&D organ
Wasabi Raises $70M in New Equity to Power the Next Era of Data Infrastructure13.1.2026 15:00:00 CET | Press release
At a $1.8 billion valuation, backed by L2 Point and Pure Storage, the company scales AI-first cloud storage to meet the explosive demands of modern data Wasabi Technologies, the Hot Cloud Storage company, today announced a $70 million equity funding round led by L2 Point Management with participation from Pure Storage and existing investors including Fidelity Management & Research Company. The new round values Wasabi at $1.8 billion and brings the company’s total funding to over $600 million. The capital will be used to accelerate Wasabi’s expansion into AI infrastructure, broaden its global footprint, and enhance its product portfolio to meet the growing data demands of enterprises and AI developers worldwide. “We’re ushering in the next generation of cloud storage, powering data-intensive workloads like generative AI and autonomous systems,” said David Friend, co-founder and CEO of Wasabi Technologies. “This funding underscores Wasabi’s strong market position and continued growth as
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom