Northern Irish drugmaker Warner Chilcott has received a bid approach worth about £1.5 billion sterling ($2.69 billion) from a consortium of private-equity houses.
The firm, which specialises in women's health and urology, said it was considering the approach for its entire share capital at an indicative cash price of 800 pence per share. It did not name its suitors in a statement issued this morning.
"The board can confirm they received an approach from a consortium of private equity houses," said the company, which changed its name from Galen Holdings earlier this year.
"There can be no certainty an offer will actually be made," it added. Last July, a £1.5 billion takeover fell through after a bidder, named by industry sources as US generic drugmaker Barr Laboratories, pulled out when news of its interest leaked, hitting its shares.
Warner Chilcott's shares closed at 648 pence on Friday.