OPKO Health, Inc. (NYSE: OPK) has signed a definitive merger agreement under which OPKO will acquire Prolor in an all-stock transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies, holders of PROLOR common stock will receive 0.9951 shares of OPKO common stock for each share of PROLOR common stock. Based on a price of $7.03 per share of OPKO common stock, the transaction is valued at approximately $480 million, or $7.00 per share of PROLOR common stock. The companies expect the transaction to be completed during the second half of 2013. Closing of the transaction is subject to certain conditions including, the approval of OPKO’s and PROLOR’s stockholders and other customary closing conditions.
PROLOR’s long-acting version of human growth hormone, hGH-CTP, has successfully completed four clinical trials, including a Phase II trial in adults with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). The trials showed that hGH-CTP has the potential to reduce the required dosing frequency of human growth hormone from the current standard of one injection per day to a single weekly injection. hGH-CTP demonstrated a good safety and tolerability profile in these clinical trials. A Phase II trial in children with GHD is currently ongoing, and a Phase III trial in adults with GHD is planned to begin in the second quarter of 2013. Recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) is used for the long-term treatment of children and adults with GHD due to inadequate secretion of endogenous growth hormone. hGH-CTP has been awarded orphan drug designation in the U.S. and Europe for both adults and children with GHD.
PROLOR’s long-acting version of human growth hormone and long-acting clotting factors in preclinical development for hemophilia are based on the company’s proprietary CTP technology. When attached to a therapeutic protein, CTP significantly extends the length of time the protein remains active in the body. Clinical and preclinical studies show that the CTP technology appears to be safe and effective in extending the duration of all proteins tested to date. CTP was identified at Washington University in St. Louis and is