Oct 8 (Reuters) – Drugmaker Viatris will buy Pacira BioSciences for $1.65 billion in an all-cash deal, adding two non-opioid pain treatments to its portfolio, the companies said on Thursday.
Viatris will pay $36.50 per share, a premium of 44.8% to the last closing price. Pacira’s shares were up 44% in premarket trading.
Pacira’s non-opioid pain treatments, Exparel and Zilretta,generated sales of $575.1 million and $116.6 million, respectively, in 2025. Exparel is used to manage acute pain following surgery and Zilretta to treat pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Viatris said it expects to expand the products’ reach across select markets.
The addition of the drugs is “synergistic with our fast-acting meloxicam market opportunity and position us as a leader in non-opioid pain management therapies,” Viatris CEO Scott Smith said in a statement.
The US FDA is expected to decide on approval for fast-acting meloxicam to treat moderate-to-severe acute pain by December 27.
Viatris expects to fund the acquisition primarily with excess cash and the rest with short-term borrowings. The transaction would have minimal impact on its gross leverage ratio, it said.
In August, Viatris raised its annual adjusted profit forecast, banking on strong branded drug sales and growth in China.
The drugmaker has faced manufacturing setbacks at its India operations, including a fire at its Nashik plant in western India, and mounting competition in generics, which have fueled concerns over growth and the resilience of its core business.
The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026 and be immediately accretive to Viatris’ financial guidance metrics, the company said.
(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Sahal Muhammed)
