Pharmaceuticals Acquisitions in Canada

Knight Therapeutics has completed the acquisition of Endo's International Pharmaceuticals business, primarily operated through Canada-based Paladin Pharma Inc. The divestiture closed for up to approximately $105 million in cash (about $79 million at closing, ~$11 million in permitted holdbacks and up to $15 million contingent on milestones).

Avista Healthcare Partners has completed the acquisition of Trillium Health Care Products, a Brockville, Ontario-based CDMO specializing in branded over‑the‑counter (OTC) products, from New Water Capital. Avista plans to invest in Trillium’s growth, expand its footprint and capabilities, and use the business as a consumer‑healthcare platform for potential strategic add‑on acquisitions.

Agilent Technologies has acquired BIOVECTRA, a Canada-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), for $925 million. The acquisition — a purchase from H.I.G. Capital — expands Agilent's CDMO capabilities across biologics, HPAPIs, pDNA/mRNA and LNP formulation, and integrates BIOVECTRA into Agilent's Diagnostics and Genomics Group.

HEALWELL AI Inc. (TSX: AIDX) has acquired BioPharma Services Inc., a Toronto-based contract research organization (CRO), from Think Research Corporation. The acquisition expands HEALWELL's clinical research capabilities by integrating BioPharma's Phase 1/2a and bioequivalence trial expertise with HEALWELL's AI, patient databases and clinic network.

LSL Pharma Group Inc. (TSXV: LSL) has completed the acquisition of Virage Santé Inc., a Lévis, Quebec-based manufacturer of natural health products, for $2.5 million in cash. The deal includes an 8,000 sq ft manufacturing plant and is expected to expand LSL's contract development and manufacturing capabilities, boosting the group's revenues by an estimated 15-20% and broadening its client base.

Aterian Investment Partners, through an affiliate, has acquired Contract Pharmaceuticals Limited (CPL), a Mississauga-based CDMO specializing in non-sterile liquid and semi-solid pharmaceutical and OTC products. Aterian said it will invest in people, technology and processes to support CPL's next phase of growth and further strengthen its position serving global pharmaceutical customers.

Apotex Inc. has completed the acquisition of Montreal-based Searchlight Pharma Inc., integrating Searchlight as Apotex's Specialty Pharma Division to expand its branded and specialty pharmaceutical capabilities. The deal adds Searchlight's portfolio of more than 60 products across women's health, dermatology, allergy, pain management and hospital specialty markets, and strengthens Apotex's commercial footprint in Quebec and across the Americas.

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. has signed a deal to acquire Northern Green Canada, an EU-GMP certified Canadian licensed cannabis producer, to secure high-quality indoor EU-GMP flower supply and bolster Curaleaf's European and Australasian expansion. The acquisition is expected to close in Q2 2024 pending regulatory approvals and will strengthen Curaleaf's supply chain for key markets including Germany, Australia/New Zealand and the U.K.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited has completed the acquisition of ARTMS Inc., a Burnaby, British Columbia-based developer of cyclotron-based isotope production technology and the QUANTM Irradiation System (QIS). The deal strengthens Telix's vertical integration and supply-chain control for key diagnostic and therapeutic radioisotopes (including 89Zr, 68Ga, 99mTc and 64Cu) to support its commercial products and pipeline.

Norwell Consumer Healthcare Inc. has entered a definitive agreement to acquire a portfolio of assets from Boyd Pharmaceuticals, including the Colace, Colace Glycerin, Dequadin, Allenburys and Gelusil brands in Canada. The asset purchase strengthens Norwell's gastroenterology and cough & cold portfolio and supports accelerated growth of its consumer OTC business.

Cosette Pharmaceuticals has acquired the global commercial rights to Intrarosa from Endoceutics, Inc., including issued and pending patents protecting the product. The acquisition strengthens Cosette's women's health portfolio and expands its global footprint through existing distribution partners and planned Asian launches in 2025.

An affiliate of funds advised by SK Capital Partners has completed the acquisition of Apotex Pharmaceutical Holdings Inc. SK Capital appointed Allan Oberman as President and CEO as it looks to transform Apotex into a Canadian-based global health company; Apotex employs nearly 8,000 people and sells affordable medicines in over 100 countries.

Effective April 1, 2023, MediPharm Labs Corp. completed an all-equity arrangement to acquire all outstanding shares of VIVO Cannabis Inc., making VIVO a wholly-owned subsidiary. Under the arrangement, former VIVO shareholders received 0.2910 MediPharm common shares per VIVO share and MediPharm issued approximately 107,930,964 shares as consideration; VIVO shares are expected to be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) completed the acquisition of all issued and outstanding shares of Franchise Global Health Inc. (TSXV: FGH) on December 23, 2022 via a statutory plan of arrangement, issuing 43,525,951 Flora common shares to FGH shareholders. FGH is a multi-national medical cannabis and pharmaceutical operator with principal operations in Germany that services more than 1,200 pharmacies; the deal provides Flora an operational footprint in Germany and expanded distribution capability into the European Union.

Sunshine Biopharma Inc. has completed the acquisition of all outstanding shares of Nora Pharma Inc., making Nora Pharma a wholly owned subsidiary. The deal (C$30.0 million) expands Sunshine’s business into generic prescription drugs, over‑the‑counter products and biosimilars and adds approximately $10.7 million in revenue and 36 employees based in the Greater Montreal area.

Edgewater Capital Partners, a Cleveland-based lower middle-market private equity firm, has acquired GL CHEMTEC, a chemistry-based contract research organization (CRO) headquartered in Oakville, Ontario. Edgewater will support GLC's expansion of API development, scale-up and advanced materials capabilities to accelerate growth across North American pharma and life-sciences customers.

Transatlantic PE firm ARCHIMED, joined by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), has recapitalized Corealis Pharma, a Laval, Quebec–based CDMO specializing in oral solid dosage formulation and clinical-supply manufacturing. The recapitalization will fund expansion of GMP-compliant facilities, R&D capabilities and accelerate growth for Corealis to serve small- and mid-sized biotech and pharma customers.

Bonafide Health has acquired worldwide rights and all assets related to MSI-195, a patented high-bioavailability formulation of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e). The acquisition expands Bonafide’s patented ingredient portfolio and strengthens its R&D pipeline for next-generation women’s health and dietary supplement products.

French family-owned ANJAC Health & Beauty has acquired Pillar5 Pharma, a Canadian CDMO specializing in sterile ophthalmic solutions and niche solid-dose manufacturing. The deal strengthens ANJAC's presence in North America and expands its pharmaceutical and ophthalmology capabilities; Pillar5 is based in Arnprior, Ontario and has roughly 150 employees and CAD$50M in revenue.

Signet Healthcare Partners, a New York-based healthcare growth equity firm, has completed a growth equity investment in Canadian specialty generics company Juno Pharmaceuticals Corp. Juno will use the proceeds to expand its complex and high-value generic and biosimilar portfolio and accelerate its growth and pipeline development in Canada and international markets.

Hempsana Holdings Ltd. (formerly Stralak Resource Inc.) completed a previously announced three‑cornered amalgamation to acquire Hempsana Inc., making Hempsana a wholly‑owned subsidiary. The combined company will focus on manufacturing cannabis derivatives and extracts (including vapeables, topicals and infused consumables) from Hempsana's Health Canada standard processing licensed and EU‑GMP‑compliant facility; HHL's shares are expected to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker HMPS.

Novo Integrated Sciences, through its wholly owned subsidiary Novo Healthnet Limited, completed the acquisition of Acenzia Inc., a Windsor, Ontario-based nutraceutical manufacturer and diagnostics developer. The all-share transaction closed on June 24, 2021 and is valued at $14,884,039; Novo said the purchase will give it direct control of development, manufacturing and distribution of wellness products and personalized diagnostics.

Aceto has acquired A&C, a global GMP manufacturer of specialty excipients, buffers and process solutions, expanding Aceto's self-manufacturing and custom product capabilities for the vaccine, cell culture and biopharmaceutical markets. The deal adds GMP manufacturing, packaging and ingredient offerings and expands Aceto's North American and European footprint; financial terms were not disclosed.

Revive Therapeutics Ltd. entered into a letter of intent to acquire all issued and outstanding securities of Psilocin Pharma Corp. for an aggregate purchase price of $2.75 million to be satisfied by issuing 55 million common shares of Revive (deemed $0.05/share). Revive deposited 10 million shares ($500,000) into escrow as a deposit; the closing is subject to due diligence and execution of a definitive share exchange agreement.

Rubicon Research Private Limited has acquired Impopharma Canada Limited and merged it with Rubicon Research Canada Limited to establish a nasal and pulmonary development Center of Excellence in Concord, Ontario. The 13,000 sq. ft. site — previously inspected by the U.S. FDA and Health Canada — expands Rubicon's global development network and formulation/analytical capabilities; Rubicon is a portfolio company of growth investor General Atlantic.

H.I.G. Capital, through an affiliate, completed the acquisition of BioVectra Inc., a Canadian contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), intermediates and biologics. The deal — a carve-out from Mallinckrodt — positions H.I.G. to support BioVectra's growth and further expand its manufacturing capabilities across Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and Windsor, Nova Scotia.