On November 1, 2022 Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), the world’s largest, most diversified healthcare products company, and Abiomed (NASDAQ: ABMD), a world leader in breakthrough heart, lung and kidney support technologies, reported that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Johnson & Johnson will acquire through a tender offer all outstanding shares of Abiomed, for an upfront payment of $380.00 per share in cash, corresponding to an enterprise value of approximately $16.6 billion which includes cash acquired (Press release, Johnson & Johnson, NOV 1, 2022, View Source [SID1234622684]). Abiomed shareholders will also receive a non-tradeable contingent value right (CVR) entitling the holder to receive up to $35.00 per share in cash if certain commercial and clinical milestones are achieved. The transaction was unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of directors.

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The transaction broadens Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s (JJMT) position as a growing cardiovascular innovator, advancing the standard of care in one of healthcare’s largest unmet need disease states: heart failure and recovery. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death. All forms of cardiovascular disease lead to heart failure, which is a significant cost to health systems due to hospitalizations and extended length of stay.

Abiomed is a leading, first-to-market provider of cardiovascular medical technology with a first-in-kind portfolio for the treatment of coronary artery disease and heart failure, an extensive innovation pipeline of life-saving technologies, and an 18-year track record of profitable growth. Abiomed operates in one of the fastest growing medtech segments with significant expansion opportunities in indication, geography, and product.

"The addition of Abiomed is an important step in the execution of our strategic priorities and our vision for the new Johnson & Johnson focused on Pharmaceutical and MedTech," said Joaquin Duato, Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson. "We have committed to enhancing our position in MedTech by entering high-growth segments. The addition of Abiomed provides a strategic platform to advance breakthrough treatments in cardiovascular disease and helps more patients around the world while driving value for our shareholders."

"Abiomed’s skilled workforce and strong relationships with clinicians, along with its innovative cardiovascular portfolio and robust pipeline, complement our MedTech portfolio, global footprint and robust clinical expertise. Together, we have the incredible opportunity to bring lifesaving innovations to more patients around the world," said Ashley McEvoy, Executive Vice President and Worldwide Chairman of MedTech at Johnson & Johnson. "We are committed to investing for growth and look forward to welcoming the talented team and working together to foster our shared patient-first mindset and winning culture of innovation."

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement that reflects the remarkable value Abiomed created with our revolutionary Impella heart pump platform and promising pipeline," said Michael R. Minogue, Abiomed’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This transaction partners us with an organization that shares our patients-first mindset and creates immediate value for our patients, customers, employees and shareholders. It will enable us to leverage Johnson & Johnson’s global scale, commercial strength and clinical expertise to accelerate our mission of making heart recovery the global standard of care."

Benefits of the Transaction

Diversifies and expands JJMT’s portfolio with a leadership platform in heart failure and recovery: Impella heart pumps – a breakthrough technology with exclusive FDA approvals for patients with severe coronary artery disease requiring high-risk PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention), treatment of AMI (acute myocardial infarction) cardiogenic shock, or right heart failure – will complement JJMT’s portfolio, which includes the leading Biosense Webster electrophysiology business, and further accelerate JJMT’s shift into high-growth markets.
Benefits patients by advancing mission to make heart recovery the global standard of care: Johnson & Johnson’s footprint, leading capabilities in physician education, commercial excellence, and robust clinical expertise will complement Abiomed’s capabilities, accelerating access and adoption of these lifesaving technologies to more patients around the world.
Expands market opportunity through a robust pipeline of technologies and clinical studies: This combination broadens Johnson & Johnson’s position as a cardiovascular innovator by adding a world-leading portfolio in heart recovery – with innovative R&D programs, exclusive FDA approvals, and multiple randomized controlled trials underway with the aim of achieving Class I clinical guidelines for Impella – to expand access to patient populations.
Accelerates near- and long-term sales and earnings growth: The proposed transaction will accelerate pro forma MedTech and Johnson & Johnson enterprise revenue growth. Johnson & Johnson expects the transaction to be slightly dilutive to neutral to adjusted earnings per share in the first year, considering the impact of financing, and then accretive by approximately $0.05 in 2024, and increasingly accretive thereafter.
Transaction Financing and Path to Completion
Under the terms of the agreement, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (Merger Sub) will commence a tender offer for all outstanding shares of Abiomed, whereby Abiomed stockholders will be offered an upfront payment of $380.00 per share in cash, along with one non-tradeable CVR that entitles them to up to an additional $35.00 per share in cash if certain clinical and commercial milestones are achieved.

The milestones consist of:

$17.50 per share, payable if net sales for Abiomed products exceeds $3.7 billion during Johnson & Johnson’s fiscal second quarter of 2027 through fiscal first quarter of 2028, or if this threshold is not met during this period and is subsequently met during any rolling four quarter period up to the end of Johnson & Johnson’s fiscal first quarter of 2029, $8.75 per share;
$7.50 per share payable upon FDA premarket application approval of the use of Impella products in STEMI patients without cardiogenic shock by January 1, 2028; and
$10.00 per share payable upon the first publication of a Class I recommendation for the use of Impella products in high risk PCI or STEMI with or without cardiogenic shock within four years from their respective clinical endpoint publication dates, but in all cases no later than December 31, 2029.
Johnson & Johnson expects to fund the transaction through a combination of cash on hand and short-term financing. Johnson & Johnson expects to maintain a strong balance sheet and to continue to support its stated capital allocation priorities of R&D investment, competitive dividends, value-creating acquisitions and strategic share repurchases.

Following the completion of the transaction, Abiomed will operate as a standalone business within Johnson & Johnson MedTech, becoming one of 12 JJMT priority platforms as defined by annual sales of at least $1 billion each. Michael R. Minogue, Abiomed’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer has an established succession plan to sustain a strong future and will assist in the transition. Andrew Greenfield, who has 17 years with Abiomed, most recently serving as Chief Commercial Officer has been appointed President of Abiomed. Michael Bodner will lead the integration under Ashley McEvoy’s leadership. Michael is a seasoned Interventional Cardiovascular executive with 15+ years in the industry with Johnson & Johnson and Abbott Vascular, most recently serving as Worldwide President of Johnson & Johnson’s global leading Biosense Webster Electrophysiology business.

The transaction is expected to be completed prior to the end of the first quarter of 2023 and is conditioned on the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of Abiomed’s common stock, as well as the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Assuming the closing of the tender offer, Johnson & Johnson will acquire any shares of Abiomed not tendered into the tender offer through a merger of Merger Sub with and into Abiomed for the same per share consideration as will be payable in the tender offer. The merger will be effected as soon as practicable after the closing of the tender offer.

Advisors
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as financial advisor to Johnson & Johnson and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is serving as legal advisor.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as financial advisor to Abiomed and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is serving as legal advisor.

A simultaneous webcast of the call for investors and other interested parties may be accessed by utilizing the link provided above. A replay will be available approximately two hours after the live webcast by visiting www.investor.jnj.com or www.investors.Abiomed.com.

In light of the joint conference call today, Abiomed has cancelled its conference call to discuss its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, previously scheduled for 8:00 a.m. ET today.