Aurobindo Pharma Ltd, a manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), is planning to acquire the entire stake in Trident Life Sciences Ltd (TLSL), a city-based clinical research organisation (CRO).
A proposal to this effect was approved by Aurobindo’s board of directors on August 14. The total cash outflow for the proposed buy-out would be Rs 38.84 crore.
The acquisition would provide Aurobindo an opportunity to enter the high-growth injectables space and further enhance its capabilities in providing comprehensive pharma manufacturing, distribution, services and solutions to its clients, the company said in a filing to the BSE on Monday.
TLSL, incorporated in 2004, is in the process of setting up a liquid injectables facility in Medak district near Hyderabad. The management of TLSL had demerged the core CRO business into a separate entity to focus better on it. The demerger left TLSL with the injectables business, Aurobindo said.
TLSL’s facility, being set up on 30.38 acres, specialises in the manufacture of the general injectable range of formulation products, including glass vials for lyophilised sterile powder and liquids, ampoules, pre-filled syringes and blow-filled seals. At present, 75 per cent of the facility is complete.
Aurobindo said the production and stabilisation of pre-exhibit batches, the facility audit for abbreviated new drug applications and dossier filings will commence after the facility’s completion. Operations are scheduled to commence at the facility in April 2011. The facility will be acquired at TLSL’s book value as on June 30, 2009, Aurobindo added.
As on June 2009, the equity value of TLSL, based on net assets value approach, was Rs 38.84 crore. With a debt of Rs 96.11 crore, the enterprise value is Rs 134.95 crore.
The Aurobindo Pharma scrip ended at Rs 645.30 on the BSE, down 2.68 per cent as against its previous close of Rs 663.05.
