ROCKVILLE, Md.—Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company, has announced the completion of its acquisition of R-Tech Ueno and all remaining outstanding shares. Sucampo acquired R-Tech Ueno for 32.8 billion Japanese Yen (JPY), or approximately $275 million.
"We believe that, through this immediately accretive transaction, we've created value for our shareholders by positioning ourselves for revenue growth in the near-term and laying the groundwork for continued financial performance in the future," said Peter Greenleaf, CEO of Sucampo. "We have now secured a larger portion of the global economics of AMITIZA and greater control over the manufacturing and supply chain for the product. In addition, we have acquired several new product candidates across multiple disease areas, including two vascular adhesion protein inhibitors, which could be of significant value to Sucampo as either a part of our internal pipeline or as candidates for partnering."
Moelis & Company LLC served as Sucampo's exclusive financial advisor; Cooley LLP served as U.S. legal advisor; Mori, Hamada & Matsumoto served as Japanese legal advisor; and PricewaterhouseCoopers served as tax and diligence advisor to Sucampo. Nomura Securities International, Inc. acted as tender offer agent.
AMITIZA (lubiprostone) is a chloride channel activator that acts locally in the small intestine. By increasing intestinal fluid secretion, lubiprostone increases motility in the intestine, thereby facilitating the passage of stool and alleviating symptoms associated with CIC. Lubiprostone, via activation of apical CIC-2 channels in intestinal epithelial cells, bypasses the antisecretory action of opiates that results from suppression of secretomotor neuron excitability. Activation of CIC-2 by lubiprostone has also been shown to stimulate recovery of mucosal barrier function and reduce intestinal permeability via the restoration of tight junction protein complexes in ex-vivo studies of ischemic porcine intestine.
AMITIZA (24 mcg twice daily) is indicated in the U.S. for the treatment of adults with CIC and opioid-induced constipation (OIC) with chronic, non-cancer pain. AMITIZA (8 mcg twice daily) is also approved in the U.S. for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) in women 18 years of age and older. In Japan, AMITIZA (24 mcg twice daily) is indicated for the treatment of chronic constipation (excluding constipation caused by organic diseases). In Canada, AMITIZA (24 mcg twice daily) is indicated for the treatment of CIC in adults. In the U.K., AMITIZA (24 mcg twice daily) is indicated for the treatment of CIC and associated symptoms in adults, when response to diet and other non-pharmacological measures (e.g., educational measures, physical activity) are inappropriate. In Switzerland, AMITIZA (24 mcg twice daily) is indicated for the treatment of CIC in adults and for the treatment of OIC and associated signs and symptoms such as stool consistency, straining, constipation severity, abdominal discomfort, and abdominal bloating in adults with chronic, non-cancer pain. The efficacy of AMITIZA for the treatment of OIC in patients taking opioids of the diphenylheptane class, such as methadone, has not been established.
Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is focused on the development and commercialization of medicines that meet major unmet medical needs of patients worldwide. Sucampo has one marketed product—AMITIZA—and a pipeline of product candidates in clinical development. A global company, Sucampo is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, and has operations in Japan, Switzerland and the U.K.
