India-based Zydus Lifesciences (NSE: ZYDUSLIFE) completed its acquisition of Lake Forest, Illinois-based Assertio Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASRT) on June 16, 2026, with Assertio delisted from Nasdaq and continuing as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The transaction gives Zydus a fully operational US specialty pharmaceutical commercial platform focused on oncology supportive care, extending the Indian company's direct presence in the US market beyond its existing subsidiary network.
Assertio stockholders received USD 23.50 per share in cash, representing total consideration of approximately USD 166 million. The acquisition was executed through Zydus Worldwide DMCC, a UAE-incorporated subsidiary of Zydus Lifesciences, via a Delaware merger vehicle, Zara Merger Sub Inc. No milestone payments, royalties, or contingent value rights were included; the transaction was an outright cash acquisition. The merger also triggered customary repurchase and conversion rights for holders of Assertio's outstanding convertible notes.
Assertio's commercial portfolio is US-centric and FDA-approved, focused on oncology supportive care. Prior to closing, Assertio divested US sales and distribution rights for seven branded products — including SYMPAZAN, INDOCIN, and SPRIX — to Cosette Pharmaceuticals in April 2026, narrowing the retained commercial footprint to its oncology-aligned assets. Zydus separately holds a US regulatory asset in late-stage development: its subsidiary Zydus Therapeutics received US FDA Priority Review for saroglitazar in primary biliary cholangitis, with a PDUFA date of November 27, 2026, indicating an active US commercial buildout strategy ahead of this acquisition.