Drug firm Bristol-Myers Squibb buys US rival Celgene in $74bn deal
Acquisition creates major new pharma company with several blockbuster cancer drugs
Bristol-Myers Squibb is to buy US rival Celgene for about $74bn (£59bn), creating a major pharma company with several blockbuster cancer drugs as competition in the immunotherapy space heats up.
Bristol-Myers pioneered immunotherapy with its Yervoy and later Opdivo, but has come under pressure as Merck’s rival treatment Keytruda moved ahead in market share in lung cancer treatment, the most lucrative oncology market.