Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
Good morning, fellow Foolish investors! Let's take a look at two stocks that could make health care headlines this morning -- Endo Health Solutions (ENDP) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals (CBST.DL).
Endo Health Solutions buys NuPathe for $105 million
Endo Health Solutions -- which recently acquired Paladin Labs for $1.6 billion to turn itself into an Irish company instead of an American and Canadian one -- announced another purchase this morning.
Endo is acquiring NuPathe for $2.85 per share in cash, or $105 million. The acquisition was primarily aimed at adding NuPathe's migraine drug, Zecuity, to Endo's drug portfolio. Zecuity is the only FDA approved battery-powered, disposable patch to treat migraine, and is expected to launch in the U.S. during the first half of 2014. Zecuity administers sumatriptan, a widely prescribed migraine medication, consistently through the skin.
In addition to a cash payment from Endo, NuPathe shareholders will receive rights to additional cash payments of up to $3.15 per share if Zecuity can achieve certain sales milestones. Endo expects the deal to generate meaningful cost synergies and become earnings accretive within the first 12 months after the deal closes.
Just as Endo acquired Paladin to decrease its corporate tax rate, it also acquired NuPathe to boost its specialty drugs portfolio, which is primarily fueled by sales of Lidoderm, a drug used to numb parts of the body during surgery, dental work, or childbirth.
Sales of Lidoderm accounted for 21% of Endo's top line last quarter -- a steep drop from 32% in the prior year quarter. Therefore, adding new products to Endo's top line will help boost its top line growth, which slumped 5% year-over-year last quarter.
Cubist announces positive phase 3 results for ceftolozane
Meanwhile, Cubist Pharmaceuticals announced positive phase 3 top-line results for its clinical trial of its antibiotic candidate ceftolozane/tazobactam for intra-abdominal infections.
The drug met the primary endpoints set by the FDA and European Medicines Agency, defined by a clinical cure rate of 26 to 30 days following the initial treatment. The drug was tested with metronidazole and meropenem, two other antibiotics.
Adverse events occurred slightly less when the drug was administered with meropenem (42.7%) than metronidazole (44%). Common side effects included nausea, diarrhea, fever, insomnia, and vomiting.
If successfully approved, ceftolozane could hit annual peak ales of $1 billion, greatly reducing the importance of sales of Cubicin, its leading antibiotic drug which generated $809 million in sales last year, or 87% of its total revenue.
