Ablynx raises sale potential for Caplacizumab; estimates market opportunity at EUR 1.2bn per year
10 JAN 2018
Ablynx, the Belgian biopharmaceutical company, has raised its sale potential for its aTTP drug, Caplacizumab, according to Borsen. This is after Ablynx rejected a takeover offer by the Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk as too low.
The Danish business daily reported that Ablynx's CEO, Edwin Moses, announced on Monday at JP Morgan's 2018 Healthcare Conference that the company sees an estimated market opportunity for Caplacizumab at EUR 1.2bn per year instead of its earlier estimate of EUR 800m. This an 50% increase in potential for a pharmaceutical, which analysts believe corresponds to three quarters of Ablynx's value.
The paper asked Ablynx Chairman, Bo Jesper Hansen, if there is a connection between the increase and Novo Nordisk's offer. Hansen responded that the company received and announced new data last year, and after analysing the data further, it was deemed suitable to make another announcement at JP Morgan's important biotech conference. Hansen did not wish to comment on Novo Nordisk's interest and said that Ablynx prefers to maintain its current strategic plan rather than be undervalued.
The item noted that Novo Nordisk's CFO Jesper Brandgaard said on Monday that the company will consider revising its offer if further value comes to light during negotiations.