Latest news - 4 items
Mergers and acquisitions are an increasingly common phenomenon in the healthcare sector, driven by a number of developments. Companies may be trying to expand their pipelines through buying companies with promising high-potential products. Alternatively, they could be seeking to achieve economies of scale in costly elements of their operations such as R&D or achieving breakthroughs earlier. At the same time, smaller companies may be looking to sell their operations as part of their exit strategy.
However, being involved in one of these processes can often be both a stressful and delicate situation. Executing them successfully requires a great deal of specific expertise, and needs to be handled with professionalism and complete discretion. If you are considering selling or buying operations in the life science sector, PwC will bring you the sector-specific expertise you need. This way, we can ensure that you can achieve a successful outcome for your mission, on whichever side of the M&A equation you find yourself.
Mergers
While a merger may offer obvious benefits, particularly in sectors where business models and audiences can be very similar – such as the life sciences – it remains a challenging task to complete. It requires identifying a suitable target or targets, which demands a great deal of detailed research and scenario planning.
Assuming a suitable merger target is identified, then there needs to be a strategy defined for the approach and negotiations. Assuming discussions are successful, then any agreement or deal – along with all the necessary due diligence – will need to be executed. All of this will usually take place with complete confidentiality and out of the spotlight.
.jpeg "female doctor talking to patient mergers")
Acquisitions
Acquisitions have many of the elements of mergers – the need to identify a target, define a strategy and execute on it - but there are significant differences. Although the objectives and outcome overlap, the company acquiring will have a different perspective to that of the one being acquired, particularly around their expectations of market value. As a result, the acquisition process arguably requires an even greater degree of confidentiality and discretion, as any discussion can influence price.
How PwC can help you
If your company is seeking a suitor, the PwC M&A team has the life sciences expertise to help you identify the ideal partner. Our experts can help you determine the correct valuation for your organisation and guide you, step by step, through the entire process. We can broker the initial introductions, handling the negotiations from your side and – when required - ensure the process is executed correctly, from start to finish.
Often, the hardest part of the process is to identify suitors who are the ideal fit for your needs, as well as finding them at the right time for both parties. Here, PwC has unique advantages. If you are looking to acquire assets, we may already have insights into potential targets.
Alternatively, if you are seeking potential buyers for your business. PwC’s global reach means that it only takes a single call or message to tap into our network and the host of contacts and insights that this can bring.
We can help identify suitable investors among:
Venture capital funds
Angel investors
Family offices and trusts
Healthcare companies seeking to expand their product portfolios.
We can act as matchmakers between you and potential buyers and sellers. Many of the matches we make may be current or recent PwC clients, with the added trust and credibility that brings.
In addition, we will undertake the entire process with the utmost discretion and maximum confidentiality.
Find out what the PwC M&A team can do for you
Even if you’re not looking to merge or acquire an asset at the moment, it’s worth talking to us. That way, you will have an understanding of what to expect when the time comes, and gain an insight into how PwC can help you achieve your desired outcome.
Future Trends: PwC Thought Leadership
If you want to know more about PwC and how we view the future of healthcare, read our thought leadership contributions.
Contact us
