DURECT to Sell LACTEL Absorbable Polymer to Evonik for $15M

DURECT Corporation has signed an agreement to sell its LACTEL Absorbable Polymer (LACTEL) product line to Evonik, a global leader in specialty chemicals.
 
Under the terms of the agreement, Evonik will pay DURECT $15 million in exchange for certain assets and liabilities associated with LACTEL product line based in Birmingham, Alabama, plus an additional potential payment based on full year EBITDAS results. The transaction is expected to close by Q1 2021 pending the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions. An offer will be extended to each of the 15 employees of DURECT located in Birmingham, Alabama, which are associated with the LACTEL business to transition to Evonik.
 
“It has been a pleasure working with the highly motivated and talented LACTEL team. We have confidence that Evonik will apply its resources and commitment to excellence to enable the LACTEL product line and supporting team members to thrive,” said James E. Brown, President and CEO of DURECT. “This deal makes strategic sense for DURECT as we continue to focus on epigenetic regulation and the development of DUR-928 for alcohol-associated hepatitis and other acute organ injury and chronic liver diseases. We wish all of our LACTEL colleagues the very best going forward.”
 
“The acquisition of the LACTEL business will strengthen both our innovation growth field Healthcare Solutions and Evonik’s position as a globally leading CDMO for drug delivery solutions,” says Johann-Caspar Gammelin, Head of the Nutrition & Care Division of Evonik. “The acquisition of the LACTEL business marks a consequential step in the growth agenda of the life-science division Nutrition & Care. The LACTEL business will benefit from fast-growing markets such as advanced drug delivery, biomaterials for tissue engineering, and the 3D printing of implantable medical devices.”
 
Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The company is active in more than 100 countries around the world and generated sales of €13.1 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of €2.15 billion in 2019. Evonik goes far beyond chemistry to create innovative, profitable and sustainable solutions for customers. The focus of Evonik’s Nutrition & Care division is on health and quality of life. It develops differentiated solutions for active pharmaceutical ingredients, medical devices, nutrition for humans and animals, personal care, cosmetics, and household cleaning. In these resilient end markets, the division generated sales of around €2.9 billion in 2019 with about 5,300 employees.