Pfizer to acquire Array BioPharma Inc. and with it Braftovi and Mektovi

Pfizer Inc and Array BioPharma Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Pfizer will acquire Array, a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of targeted small molecule medicines to treat cancer and other diseases of high unmet need. Pfizer has agreed to acquire Array for $48 per share in cash, for a total enterprise value of approximately $11.4 billion. The Boards of Directors of both companies have approved the merger. Array’s portfolio includes the approved combined use of Braftovi(encorafenib) and Mektovi (binimetinib) for the treatment of BRAFV600E or BRAFV600K mutant unresectable or metastatic melanoma. The combination therapy has significant potential for long-term growth via expansion into additional areas of unmet need and is currently being investigated in over 30 clinical trials across several solid tumor indications, including the Phase III BEACON trial in BRAF-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In the U.S., colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in men and women. An estimated 140,250 patients were diagnosed with cancer of the colon or rectum in 2018, and approximately 50,000 are estimated to die of their disease each year. BRAF mutations are estimated to occur in up to 15% of colorectal cancer cases and represent a poor prognosis for these patient.