Fourth acquisition this year will fortify firm’s OTC and generics arsenal.

Valeant signed an agreement to acquire Aton Pharma, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on ophthalmology and certain orphan drug indications, for approximately $318 million.

This transaction is Valeant Pharmaceuticals’ fourth acquisition so far this year. In March it acquired Instituto Terapeutico Delta, a branded generics and over the counter (OTC) company located in Brazil, for approximately $28 million. In April it purchased another branded generics and OTC Brazilian firm for $56 million. Last week it signed an agreement to acquire Vital Science, a OTC dermatology company located in Toronto, for approximately $10.35 million.

This latest deal is expected to enhance Valeant’s neurology and other products franchise in the U.S. Aton is projected to have $80–$100 million in annual revenue in 2010. It is currently owned by affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management.

Valeant will pay milestones based predominately on the achievement of development and commercial targets for certain pipeline products still in development. Future development of a portion of the pipeline portfolio will be co-funded by the sellers under a profit-sharing agreement with Valeant. In addition, Valeant will retain global rights to the majority of the Aton products.

Previous articleAstraZeneca Partners with TB Alliance to Speed Tuberculosis Drug Discovery
Next articlePositive Phase III Data Means Xifaxan NDA Filing for NC-IBS Expected by End of June