Roche Doesn't Consider $112/Share Realistic For Genentech -Chairman
March 10 2009 - 6:14AM
Dow Jones News
Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) Chairman Franz Humer said Tuesday the
Swiss drugmaker doesn't consider as realistic the $112 a share
price for Genentech Inc. (DNA) proposed by directors of the
biotechnology company as a condition to agree to a takeover.
Humer was speaking to shareholders at the company's annual
general meeting in Basel, Switzerland.
On Friday, Roche increased its offer to buy the roughly 44% of
U.S. biotechnology company Genentech Inc. (DNA) it doesn't already
own, in a deal worth around $45.7 billion. The price reflects a
price of $93 per share. On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported
that the two companies are close to agreeing a deal at a price of
$95 per share.
The bid was again rejected as too low by Genentech's special
committee of independent board members. But Humer said assumptions
on which the committee bases its asking price are flawed.
"We feel the price proposed by the special committee, $112 per
share, isn't based on realistic assumptions," Humer said.
Overly optimistic assumptions include, the committee's view
about the potential impact from follow-on biologics, or generic
copies of biotechnology drugs that lost patent protection. The
committee also overestimates productivity gains and the potential
increase in success rates in research and development, he
added.
Roche also considers the committee's view on the market
potential of cancer drug Avastin in new uses, and possibilities for
price increases in the U.S. market as either inadequate or overly
optimistic, Humer said.
Roche has raised close to $40 billion through various bond
offerings to finance the deal. Given that the Swiss drugmaker
commands around $7 billion in liquid funds already, financing of
the deal looks secure, analysts say.
Company Web site: www.roche.com
-By Anita Greil, Dow Jones Newswires; +41 43 443 8044 ;
anita.greil@dowjones.com