Novo Holdings to Acquire Catalent in Unconditional Deal

The European Commission has granted unconditional approval for Novo Holdings' acquisition of the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Catalent, under the EU Merger Regulation. Novo Holdings, primarily known as the parent company of pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, plans to integrate Catalent, a leading provider of pre-filled syringes and orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) for the pharmaceutical industry. The Commission thoroughly examined how the acquisition would affect competition within the European Economic Area (EEA), focusing on the supply of pre-filled syringes and ODTs. Given that alternative suppliers and sufficient market capacity will remain available post-transaction, the Commission determined there would be no significant impediment to competition. As such, the merger was approved without conditions. This decision exemplifies the Commission's typical process, as most mergers notified under the EU Merger Regulation are successfully cleared after an initial review.