Mergers and Acquisitions

On March 31, 2026, Biogen Inc. and Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Biogen has agreed to acquire all outstanding shares of Apellis for $41.00 per share in cash at closing, or approximately $5.6 billion. Apellis stockholders will also receive a nontransferable CVR for each Apellis share held, entitling the holder to receive two payments of $2 per share each, contingent on certain annual global net sales thresholds being met for SYFOVRE®. Cravath is representing Biogen in connection with the transaction.

On March 10, 2026, Elsevier, a global leader in advanced information and decision support and part of RELX, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Mytonomy, a leader in video-based patient engagement solutions that will complement Elsevier’s Clinical Solutions portfolio. Cravath is representing RELX in connection with the transaction.

On March 9, 2026, Universal Health Services, Inc. (“UHS”) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Talkspace, Inc. (“Talkspace”) for $5.25 per share. The enterprise value for the transaction is approximately $835 million. Cravath is representing Talkspace in connection with the transaction.

On March 2, 2026, Select Medical Holdings Corporation (“Select Medical”) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which an entity affiliated with a consortium led by Robert A. Ortenzio, Executive Chairman, Co-Founder and Director of Select Medical, Martin F. Jackson, Senior Executive Vice President of Strategic Finance and Operations of Select Medical, and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (“WCAS” and, together with Mr. Ortenzio and Mr. Jackson, the “Consortium”) will acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Select Medical not already owned by the Consortium for a price per share of $16.50 in cash, representing an enterprise value of $3.9 billion, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the merger agreement. Cravath is representing the buyer consortium in connection with the transaction.

On February 27, 2026, Paramount Skydance Corporation (“Paramount”) and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. ("WBD") announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Paramount will acquire WBD. Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount will pay $31.00 per share in cash for all outstanding shares of WBD. The transaction values WBD at an enterprise value of $110 billion, and has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies. Cravath is representing Paramount in connection with the transaction.

Cravath partner Faiza J. Saeed was named to The Hollywood Reporter’s annual “Power Lawyers” list, which recognizes attorneys at the “top of their field” who “help keep the wheels of the industry turning” and was published in the April 8, 2026 issue of The Hollywood Reporter Magazine. The feature highlighted Faiza’s representation of Paramount Skydance in its pending $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. and the Paramount Special Committee in connection with the company’s $8.4 billion merger with Skydance. She was also recognized for her representation of Hailey Bieber in rhode’s $1 billion acquisition by e.l.f. beauty. This is Faiza’s ninth year being recognized as a “Power Lawyer.”

Cravath partner Daniel J. Cerqueira served as contributing editor of Legal 500’s 2026 “Mergers & Acquisitions Country Comparative Guide,” which was published in April 2026. The guide provides a pragmatic overview of M&A laws and regulations across a variety of jurisdictions. Together with Dan, partner Jin‑Kyu Baek authored the United States chapter of the guide, which reviews M&A trends, the current state of the market, and key considerations for companies and shareholders.

On April 9, 2026, Cravath partner G.J. Ligelis Jr. participated in the International Bar Association’s Asia Pacific Mergers & Acquisitions Conference, which was held April 9‑10, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. G.J. spoke during a session entitled “The Art of the Deal – Navigating through the Negotiation of Common M&A Issues,” which explored the negotiation positions, perspectives and alternatives of M&A counsel across several jurisdictions, highlighting key strategies and pitfalls to avoid when developing the best available deal.

Four Cravath attorneys were selected to serve on Law360’s 2026 Editorial Advisory Boards: partners Ryan J. Patrone (Capital Markets), Claudia J. Ricciardi (Mergers & Acquisitions) and Jihyun Chung (Private Equity) and of counsel Scott B. Reents (Legal Tech). As Editorial Advisory Board members, they will provide feedback on Law360’s coverage and expert insight on how best to shape future coverage.

Cravath partners Jin‑Kyu Baek, Nicholas A. Dorsey and Lauren Roberta Kennedy were featured in the 2026 edition of “Practice Perspectives: Vault’s Guide to Legal Practice Areas,” which highlights the experiences of practicing lawyers in more than 20 different areas of the law and is published annually.