Translate Bio Stock Soars on Reports Sanofi Makes Takeover Bid

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Translate Bio banal was soaring successful after-hours trading connected a study that Sanofi had made a bid to get the biotech company.

Reuters reported that Sanofi (ticker: SNY), which already has a concern with Translate (TBIO), made an connection to get the messenger RNA-focused biotech. The magnitude of the bid was unknown.

That didn’t halt the marketplace from reacting: Translate banal was up 84% astatine $53.51 astatine 6:23 p.m. portion Sanofi shares were up 0.8% to $52.

Neither institution was instantly disposable for comment.

Translate specializes successful the aforesaid mRNA exertion that Moderna (MRNA) and BioNTech (BNTX) utilized to developed their Covid-19 vaccines. The institution began a Phase 1 proceedings of an mRNA-based flu vaccine with Sanofi successful June.

After earlier playing down the value of mRNA successful vaccines, Sanofi has started to stake large connected the technology. In June, it announced plans to walk €400 million, oregon astir $476 cardinal a year, connected a “vaccines mRNA Center of Excellence” that would alteration to it velocity up the probe it was already doing with Translate. Now, it’s buying the full company. It’s an abrupt displacement for Sanofi, whose CEO had called predictions that mRNA exertion would predominate vaccines “overblown.”

It’s been a volatile fewer days of trading for Translate. The banal deed a grounds of $35.61 this past Thursday earlier tumbling 22% connected Friday connected nary quality that we could see. It rallied 5.5% during regular marketplace hours Monday earlier its after-hours surge.

Expect that volatility to proceed until a woody is either announced oregon denied.

Write to Ben Levisohn astatine ben.levisohn@barrons.com

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