US-based medical products firm Baxter International has agreed to acquire Sanofi’s Seprafilm Adhesion Barrier and related assets for $350m.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020, subject to the fulfilment of closing conditions.
Baxter advanced surgery business general manager Wil Boren said: “Seprafilm will be a strong complement to our leading hemostat and sealant portfolio, helping us continue to advance the art of healing with optimized patient care in the operating room.
“While Seprafilm is clinically recognized among surgeons globally, we plan to provide commercial support for the product through our dedicated surgery salesforce and pursue opportunities for expansion in certain countries.”
Seprafilm Adhesion Barrier is intended to reduce the postoperative adhesions
According to the company, adhesion prevention products, haemostats and sealants play a crucial role in managing intraoperative bleeding and reducing adhesions, as adhesions may occur in any surgery, and are may lead to major post-surgical complications and often needs a second surgery to remove them.
Seprafilm Adhesion Barrier is designed as an adjunct to reduce the incidence, extent and severity of postoperative adhesions between the abdominal wall and the underlying visceral organs, in patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic laparotomy.
The adhesion barrier is not indicated for patients with a history of hypersensitivity to Seprafilm, wrapped directly around a fresh anastomotic suture or staple line, since it increases the risk of anastomotic leak and related events, such as fistula, abscess, leak, sepsis, peritonitis.
Baxter said that Seprafilm is currently available in the US, Japan, China, South Korea and France, and the sales of the products under proposed acquisition are expected to be approximately $100m in the 12 months following close.
Baxter claims that the agreement underlines its continued focus on acquiring products and technologies that complement its portfolio across the hospital, including in the operating room.