Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (a merger of Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Azur Pharma plc) is an American global biopharmaceutical company with a focus on oncology and neuroscience. It was founded in 2003 in California, United States and is now headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.[2][3]
One of the company's considerable products is the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug Xyrem (sodium oxybate), the sodium salt of the naturally occurring neurotransmitter γ-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). In 2017, net product sales of Xyrem were $1.187 billion, which represented 74% of the company's total net product sales.[1] In 2019, Jazz was granted FDA-approval to market Sunosi with indications for treating excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in narcolepsy as well as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In 2022, it was announced that Axsome Therapeutics would be acquiring Sunosi from Jazz Pharmaceuticals.[4]
In 2007, the company pled guilty to felony charges related to its illegal marketing of Xyrem for off-label use.[5]
The company is also a member of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).[6]
Company history and acquisitions
2010–2019
On 18 February 2010, the FDA accepted a new drug application for JZP-6 (Sodium oxybate) for the treatment of Fibromyalgia.[7] In the following December, a new patent was issued for Sodium Oxybate.[8]
On September 19, 2011, Jazz Pharmaceuticals merged with Irish Azur Pharma plc to form Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc. The Azur Pharma seat in Dublin became the headquarters of the combined company. Azur Pharma had been marketing specialty pharmaceutical products in the central nervous system (CNS) and women's health areas with US operations in Philadelphia.[9][10]
On 26 April 2012, the company acquired EUSA Pharma for $650 million (plus $50 million in milestone payments).[11] In September, the company sold its Women's Health business to Meda for $95 million.[12] In December, the company began clinical trial of intravenous Erwinaze in patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.[13]
In January 2014, the company announced it would acquire the rare disease drug developer Gentium SpA and its lead product Defitelio for $1 billion.[14][15]
In May 2016, the company announced it would acquire Alizé Pharma II for $20.5 million.[16] At the end of the same month, the company announced its then largest acquisition, with the purchase of Celator Pharmaceuticals for $1.5 billion.[17] As a result, Jazz obtained the rights to breakthrough therapy Vyxeos (liposomal daunorubicin and cytarabine) for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.[18]
In August 2019, the company announced it would acquire Cavion Inc. for up to $310 million.[19][20]
2020–present
In January 2021, Jazz announced it would acquire cannabis-focused medicinal drug company GW Pharmaceuticals for US$7.2 billion.[21][22] This acquisition added the medication Epidiolex (cannabidiol), developed to treat severe epilepsy syndromes, to the company's portfolio.[23][24]
In November 2025, Jazz Pharmaceuticals announced positive results from its Phase 3 trial for its cancer drug, Ziihera, a potential treatment for advanced gastroesophageal cancer.[25]
Acquisition history
The following is an illustration of the company's mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs and historical predecessors:
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Merged 2011)
- Azur Pharma PLC (Merged 2011)
- EUSA Pharma (Acq 2012)
- Gentium SpA (Acq 2014)
- Alizé Pharma II (Acq 2016)
- Celator Pharmaceuticals (Acq 2016)
- Cavion Inc. (Acq 2019)
- GW Pharmaceuticals (Acq 2021)
References
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC 2023 Annual Report (Form 10-K) sec.gov, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 28 February 2024, retrieved 28 February 2024^
- https://www.marketbeat.com/stocks/NASDAQ/JAZZ/^
- History Jazz Pharmaceuticals, retrieved 22 November 2016^
- Axsome To Buy Sunosi From Jazz NASDAQ, retrieved 28 March 2022^
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Agrees to Pay $20 Million to Resolve Criminal and Civil Allegations in "Off-label" Marketing Investigation retrieved 2016-06-08^
- Teva wins controversial PhRMA bid despite protests from branded rivals 18 July 2016, retrieved 18 July 2016^
- FDA accepts NDA for JZP-6, a treatment for fibromyalgia empr.com, 2010-02-19^
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals - Investor & Media - Press Release jazzpharma.com^
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc and Azur Pharma to combine manufacturingchemist.com, 2011-09-20^
- Ciaran Hancock. Azur to merge with US pharma firm in $500m deal manufacturingchemist.com, 2011-09-21^
- Mike Armstrong. Jazz Pharmaceuticals to buy Langhorne's Eusa The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2012-04-27, retrieved 2022-05-20^
- Meda buys women's health unit of Jazz Pharma pharmatimes.com, 2012-09-07, retrieved 2022-05-20^
- Jazz Initiates Erwinaze Trial - Zacks Equity Research yahoo.com, 2012-12-05, retrieved 2022-05-20^
- Armstrong, Drew. Jazz to Buy Gentium for $1 Billion for Rare-Disease Drugs December 19, 2013, retrieved 2017-03-08^
- Jazz Pharma Acquiring Gentium for $1B Gen. Eng. Biotechnol. News, January 15, 2014^
- Alizé Pharma II Acquired by Jazz Pharmaceuticals for Up to $20.5M - GEN News Highlights - GEN^
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals to Acquire Celator for $1.5B - GEN News Highlights - GEN 31 May 2016, retrieved 31 May 2016^
- Vyxeos (cytarabine and daunorubicin) FDA Approval History Drugs.com, retrieved 2018-12-30^
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals Announces Acquisition of Cavion, Inc 12 August 2019, retrieved 2019-08-18^
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals Announces Acquisition of Cavion, Inc. | Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC retrieved 2019-08-18^
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals to Acquire GW Pharmaceuticals PLC, Creating an Innovative, High-Growth, Global Biopharma Leader retrieved 2021-02-03^
- Jazz Pharma to buy GW Pharma for $7.2 billion, adding cannabis-based drug to portfolio Reuters, 3 February 2021, retrieved 3 February 2021^
- https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/jazz-and-gw-pharma-grow-cannabinoid-manufacturing-ambitions-new-100m-plant^
- https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/companies/arid-40219976.html^
- https://www.marketbeat.com/stocks/NASDAQ/JAZZ/^