Sanofi Receives Antitrust Clearances in U.S., Germany for Ablynx Acquisition

   By Sonia Amaral Rohter 
 

Sanofi SA (SAN.FR) said Thursday that it has received antitrust clearances in the U.S. and Germany in connection with its proposed acquisition of Ablynx NV (ABLX.BT).

Sanofi said that a waiting period for its proposed acquisition of Ablynx has expired without objections being raised. Under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, parties to certain transactions must submit notification to the country's Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice and wait before the transaction can be completed.

The proposed acquisition has also been cleared by the Federal Cartel Office of Germany, the FCO, the French pharmaceutical company said.

With the expiration of the waiting period and the FCO clearance, "the condition to the offers relating to antitrust approvals has been satisfied," Sanofi said.

In late January, Sanofi agreed to buy Belgian biopharmaceutical company Ablynx for 3.9 billion euros ($4.76 billion).

The closing of the offers is still subject to various conditions, Sanofi said.

Write to Sonia Amaral Rohter at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 01, 2018 05:04 ET (10:04 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.