EU gives go-ahead for Teva-Ivax merger

The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European economic area or any substantial part of it.

Ivax is a US-based pharmaceutical company active in the research, development and marketing of branded and generic pharmaceutical and veterinary products, with most of its activities focused on generic products.

Teva, meanwhile, specializes in the development, production and marketing of generic pharmaceuticals, active ingredients and, to a smaller extent, proprietary products.

The Commission conducted a market investigation into the five pharmaceutical markets where both parties are active and have more than 15% market share, and the 10 active ingredient markets where one or other of the parties has a market share of more than 25% and where the other party uses the ingredient in question in its products. It concluded that the transaction would not impede effective competition on any of the affected markets.

“In each of the pharmaceutical markets, the increase in market share resulting from the transaction is very limited. On the active ingredient markets, there will be little or no change in the supply structure. As for most of Teva’s active ingredients products, Ivax’s share in the relevant downstream markets is minimal,” said a European Commission statement.