Laurie Kelley
August 18, 2008
The hemophilia world is buzzing with the latest acquisition announcement: CSL Limited will buy Talecris Biotherapeutics Holdings Corp., one of the world’s leading manufacturers of plasma-derived protein therapies. One of these therapies is Koate-DVI, a plasma-derived factor VIII clotting concentrate. The move will make CSL a stronger competitor in the $15 billion global plasma products market. Selling price? US $3.1 billion.
How will this affect the US market, with so many changes underfoot?
One concern is what will happen to Koate DVI. CSL Behring already has two plasma derived factor VIII concentrates, Monoclate® P and Humate® P. Will it need three? We may be jumping the gun in speculating. Talecris is reaching out to its customers to assure them that the acquisition will not affect production for the foreseeable future. Below is a letter from Talecris, which I am reprinting with permission. We’ll be watching developments closely, and will let you know more in the near future. And let me add: we’ve been predicting consolidations, both in home care and in pharma, for the past four years, and so they continue. We will monitor industry and as always, try to discern how consolidations and acquisitions, and product changes, will affect you, the consumer.
August 13, 2008
Dear Hemophilia friends, partners, and patients:
You may have heard Talecris Biotherapeutics and CSL have entered into a definitive agreement for CSL to purchase Talecris, pending the necessary regulatory approvals.
Please note that our commitment to provide high quality and effective products to our customers remains our paramount concern, and that has not changed — nor will a transaction affect any of our existing contracts to supply Koate-DVI Antihemophilic Factor (Human).
While the transaction moves through regulatory review, we will continue to serve our customers and the patients who rely on us by providing a reliable supply of safe and effective protein therapies. Additionally, we will continue to invest in improving our products, increasing the availability of our therapies, and developing innovations to enhance the lives of our patients. In short, you can rely on us now and in the future, however that future unfolds.
Talecris Biotherapeutics recognizes that the availability of Koate-DVI, is a paramount issue for the patients around the world. It is an issue of extreme importance to us, and one in which we have invested heavily to resolve for the patients we serve. In the past several years, we’ve invested over $150 million in the vertical integration of our plasma supply chain to enable long-term reliable supply, and tremendous progress has been made in taking the necessary steps to ultimately increase the supply of Koate-DVI.
* Talecris has invested significantly in our Clayton manufacturing facility, which operates nearly 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In fact, we are completed an extended planned maintenance in order to significantly upgrade portions of our facility where Koate-DVI is produced. These upgrades will allow us to support increased worldwide demand and meet current commitments to supply Koate-DVI to our patients.
* Talecris Plasma Resources, Inc. (TPR), will further ensure a reliable, consistent supply of plasma for the long-term and we continue to invest significantly in improving the output of these centers and opening new centers.
* CSL, like Talecris, is a key global player in the plasma biotherapeutics industry dedicated to treating rare and serious diseases, and is passionate about improving the quality of life for patients throughout the world. We believe a combined entity would accelerate our ability to develop and deliver therapies that enhance the lives of patients who depend on us.
Book I Just Read: How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved My Life by Mameve Mamwed
I don’t usually read fiction, especially not romantic fiction, but this book was a gift, and personalized by the author at that, so I could not avoid reading it. And I am glad I did: a little charmer of a book, easy to read and very well done. The real story’s about love, wrapped up in a plot about how an antique chamber pot turns the life of a struggling, young, intelligent antiques dealer with poor self-esteem upside down. Abby thinks her life is about to get better when the pot is appraised at $75,000, as it was once owned by poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. But it’s the beginning of a lot of trouble, and a lot of introspection as to the nature of relationships when relatives and friends come out of the woodwork to get a piece of Abby’s fortune. I loved all the literary references and as it takes place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, hearing about places well known to us Yanks. Three stars.
