Sullivan & Cromwell and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft are acting as lead advisers on Valeant’s $14.5bn (£9.5bn) acquisition of gastrointestinal drug specialist Salix.

Valeant will pick up all of Salix’s outstanding common stock for $158 (£103) per share in a transaction that will entail the Quebec-based group taking control of Salix’s portfolio of 22 products, including prescription brands Xifaxan, Uceris, and Apriso.