CSL in Talks With Vifor Pharma Over Potential Transaction

By Stuart Condie

SYDNEY--Australian biopharmaceutical company CSL Ltd. said it is in talks with Vifor Pharma Ltd. over a potential acquisition of the Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company.

CSL said Monday that there was no certainty of a transaction, or indication of when any transaction would occur. It said it didn't intend to comment further outside of its continuous disclosure obligations.

Vaccine and blood-products maker CSL, the second-largest ASX-listed firm by market capitalization, initially acknowledged Australian media reports on the discussions last week, without confirming their existence.

Investment bank Citi said last week that any move for Vifor would likely be EPS accretive, given CSL trades at a significantly higher multiple than Vifor, which develops, manufactures and markets iron-deficiency products.

Vifor has a market capitalization of 7.69 billion Swiss francs (US$8.35 billion). CSL's market capitalization is A$136 billion (US$97.5 billion).

Write to Stuart Condie at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

12-12-21 1934ET