BMS To Acquire Amira in $475M Deal

Bristol-Myers Squibb will acquire privately held Amira Pharmaceuticals in an all-cash transaction worth up to $475 million.

New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb has acquired privately held Amira Pharmaceuticals, for $325 million upfront, with potential additional milestone payments totaling $150 million. San Diego-based Amira is a small-molecule pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of treatments for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases.

Under the terms of the agreement, BMS will gain Amira’s fibrosis program, including the lead asset AM152, an orally available lysophosphatidic acid 1 (LPA1) receptor antagonist entering Phase IIa proof-of-confidence studies for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and scleroderma. BMS also gains Amira’s preclinical autotaxin program consisting of potential treatments for neuropathic pain and cancer metastases. BMS plans to retain Amira’s scientists working on both of these programs.