Valeant pharmaceuticals closes purchase of Salix for $ 14.5 billion

Canadian pharmaceutical Valeant struck a deal for the purchase of American competitor Salix for 14.5 billion dollars, already with debts.
The Quebec-based group will pay $ 158 per share of the company.
The acquisition is part of the expansion plan of Valeant in the market, after unsuccessful attempt to buy drugmaker Allergan, last year.
Last week, the company announced that it would acquire the rights to Provenge, a prostate cancer vaccine, and other assets of Seattle-based Dendreon, by 495 million dollars.
The acquisition will be financed mostly with debt financing from a group of banks, including Deutsche Bank and HSBC. Valeant will assume $ 4.5 billion in debts of Salix.