Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is advising Sawai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a leading Japanese generic pharmaceuticals manufacturer, in its $1.05 billion acquisition of the generic pharmaceuticals business of Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. The transaction is expected to close near the end of June 2017.

Sawai focuses on the manufacturing and sales, export and import of generic pharmaceutical products and is the number one provider of generics to the Japanese market. Based in Minnesota, Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., was founded in 1919 and is a growing, fully integrated pharmaceutical company. The acquisition will mark a major expansion of Sawai's presence in the U.S. market.

The Debevoise team is led by partner Andrew L. Bab and includes partners Gary M. Friedman, Sean Hecker, Elizabeth Pagel Serebransky, Scott B. Selinger, counsel Jacob W. Stahl, and associates Sean Heikkila, Michelle M. Hillenbrand, David P. Iozzi, Kamal Steven Nesfield, Molly D. Quinn, David R. Rock, Michael Ronca, Tsukasa Tahara, Lale Uner and Caitlin Wilcox.

The Debevoise Healthcare Group employs a highly coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to address transactional, litigation and intellectual property matters for leading healthcare companies and for private equity firms investing in the industry. The healthcare team handles significant transactions and regulatory and litigation matters in a wide variety of areas for pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, medical device manufacturers, financial sponsors, financial advisors and other key players in the industry.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier law firm with market-leading practices, a global perspective and strong New York roots. We deliver effective solutions to our clients’ most important legal challenges, applying clear commercial judgment and a distinctively collaborative approach.