Inviragen’s sale this month likely to boost investor interest in NoCo bioscience firms

FORT COLLINS – The $35 million sale of Fort Collins’ Inviragen Inc. to Japanese pharmaceutical giant Takeda bodes well for Northern Colorado’s life sciences industry, not to mention global public health, bioscience experts say.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. in Osaka, Japan, bought Inviragen for $35 million in cash as well as future payments of as much as $215 million if Inviragen hits certain revenue targets. The sale was announced May 7 and is expected to close within weeks.

The purchase should give Northern Colorado greater standing as larger companies seek takeover candidates, people in the life sciences industry say. They have lamented…