Noven to acquire JDS

NOVN will acquire JDS (New York, N.Y.) for $125 million in cash, plus the assumption of $10 million in liabilities. The specialty pharma company, which markets and develops products for psychiatry and women's health, gives NOVN a 55-person U.S. sales force. NOVN has three products marketed through a JV with Novartis (NVS; SWX:NOVN): Vivelle estradiol patch and Vivelle-Dot estradiol transdermal system to treat symptoms of menopause and prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis, and CombiPatch estradiol/norethindrone acetate patch to treat menopausal symptoms and hypoestrogenism.

JDS had net product sales of about $20 million in 2006 from two marketed psychiatric drugs. An NDA for JDS's Stavzor valproic acid is under review under section 505(b)(2) of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to treat bipolar disorder, migraines and epilepsy with an October 2007 PDUFA date. JDS's Lithium QD once-daily lithium is in Phase III testing for bipolar disorder. ...