Sanofi Is Paying a 172% Premium to Buy Synthorx -- and It Sounds Like a Good Deal for Both

On Dec. 9, pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY) said it's buying immuno-oncology company Synthorx (NASDAQ: THOR) for $2.5 billion to boost its cancer and autoimmune program.  Considering the performance of Sanofi's businesses, the pipeline Synthorx brings to the table, and global projections for growth in the cancer immunotherapy market, the purchase sounds like a bargain for Sanofi. For Synthorx, which more than doubled research and development spending in a year's time, the financial power of a major player will be welcome.