Novartis nears deal to buy U.S. biotech firm Medicines Co for about $7 bln- WSJ

Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG is nearing an agreement to acquire U.S. biotechnology firm The Medicines Co for about $7 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported https://on.wsj.com/2qveZtj on Saturday.

The deal, in which Novartis has agreed to pay $85 a share, could be announced this weekend, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Neither Novartis nor The Medicines Co was immediately available for comment on Saturday.