Amgen Talks to Buy Onyx Said to Stall on Drug Trial Data

Buyout talks over Amgen Inc.’s proposed takeover of Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. are held up over a dispute about access to data from an ongoing drug trial even as the two sides have a general agreement on price, said three people familiar with the matter.

Onyx is prepared to accept a $130-a-share all-cash offer and Amgen remains interested, the people said. At issue is whether Onyx will provide Amgen with data from a study designed for European approval of Onyx’s blood-cancer treatment Kyprolis, said two of the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. Onyx doesn’t have access to the data as the trial is ongoing and doesn’t want to obtain results before the study is done as it may slow the approval process, one of the people said.