On May 21, 2024 PureTech Health plc (Nasdaq: PRTC, LSE: PRTC) ("PureTech" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company, reported the completed acquisition of its Founded Entity, Karuna Therapeutics, Inc. ("Karuna"), by Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) ("BMS"), which has acquired all outstanding common stock of Karuna for $330.00 per share, for a total equity value of approximately $14 billion (Press release, Bristol-Myers Squibb, MAY 21, 2024, View Source [SID1234643494]).

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"This acquisition recognizes the enormous potential of KarXT to help millions of people with schizophrenia in need of a new therapeutic option, and BMS will provide the global leadership to maximize the reach of KarXT," said Eric Elenko, Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer at PureTech, and a co-inventor of KarXT. "This is also an important milestone for PureTech, where KarXT was invented, and for Karuna, one of our Founded Entities advancing innovative therapeutic approaches on the basis of validated mechanisms. We congratulate the Karuna and BMS teams on the completion of their transaction, and we wish them success in their joint pursuit to make a difference for people living with psychiatric and neurological conditions."

If approved, KarXT will represent the first new mechanism of action for patients with schizophrenia in over 50 years.

As of February 15, 2024, PureTech’s percentage ownership in Karuna was approximately 2.3% on an outstanding voting share basis, resulting in an estimated $293 million in gross proceeds to PureTech upon the close of the transaction. PureTech directed approximately $18.5 million towards the founding and development of Karuna, and following the close of the BMS acquisition will have generated approximately $1.1 billion in direct cash proceeds to PureTech. Under its license agreement with Karuna, PureTech retains the right to receive milestone payments upon the achievement of certain regulatory approvals. PureTech is also owed certain royalties on net sales and is eligible to receive up to $400 million in milestone payments under its agreement with Royalty Pharma1.

The full text of the announcement from Bristol Myers Squibb is as follows:

Bristol Myers Squibb Completes Acquisition of Karuna Therapeutics, Strengthening Neuroscience

1
As of March 22, 2023, PureTech has sold its right to receive a 3% royalty from Karuna to Royalty Pharma on net sales up to $2 billion annually, after which threshold PureTech will receive 67% of the royalty payments and Royalty Pharma will receive 33%.

KarXT, Karuna’s Lead Asset, Is a Potential First-in-Class Treatment for Schizophrenia with Multi-Billion Dollar Sales Potential Across Multiple Indications

PRINCETON, N.J.— Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) reported that it has successfully completed its acquisition of Karuna Therapeutics, Inc. ("Karuna"). With the acquisition’s completion, Karuna shares have ceased trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and Karuna is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb ("BMS").

"We are excited to expand our neuroscience portfolio as we welcome Karuna to Bristol Myers Squibb," said Chris Boerner, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Myers Squibb. "Importantly, this transaction aligns with our commitment to strengthening BMS’s growth profile in the latter half of the decade and beyond. We look forward to working with Karuna’s talented team to bring KarXT to patients with schizophrenia later this year."

Through this transaction, BMS has added KarXT (xanomeline-trospium), an antipsychotic with a novel mechanism of action and a differentiated efficacy and safety profile, and Karuna’s early-stage and pre-clinical pipeline. KarXT has a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of September 26, 2024 for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. KarXT is also in registrational trials both for adjunctive therapy to existing standard of care agents in schizophrenia and for the treatment of psychosis in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, with potential to expand to additional indications, including Bipolar I disorder and Alzheimer’s disease agitation.

As previously disclosed, the transaction is expected to be dilutive to Bristol Myers Squibb’s non-GAAP diluted earnings per share by approximately $0.30 in 2024 from the financing cost of the transaction, which is primarily from a recently completed new debt issuance. Bristol Myers Squibb expects to offset the operational expenses of the transaction through continued disciplined resource allocation, cost efficiencies and portfolio prioritization. Bristol Myers Squibb’s cash flows and strong financial profile enable continued commitment to strong investment-grade credit ratings and investment for growth through business development opportunities and distributions to shareholders through ongoing dividends and share repurchases.

The transaction will be accounted for as an asset acquisition resulting in an approximately $12 billion one-time, non-deductible Acquired In-Process Research and Development (Acquired IPR&D) charge impacting both 2024 first quarter and full-year GAAP and non-GAAP EPS by approximately $5.93.

Consistent with past practice, Bristol Myers Squibb generally provides updates to its financial outlook once each quarter. When considering Bristol Myers Squibb’s financial outlook issued on February 2, 2024, investors and analysts should take into account the impacts outlined above. Bristol Myers Squibb will provide an update to its financial outlook when it reports first quarter 2024 results on April 25, 2024.

Advisors

Gordon Dyal & Co. and Citi are serving as financial advisors to Bristol Myers Squibb, and Covington & Burling LLP is serving as legal counsel. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Karuna, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is serving as legal counsel.