Samsung Biologics to launch $1.8 billion all-cash bid for PolyPeptide

July 20 (Reuters) - South Korea's Samsung Biologics will launch a 1.46 billion Swiss francs ($1.81 billion) all-cash bid for Swiss contract drugmaker PolyPeptide, the companies said in separate statements.

The offer at 44.31 Swiss francs per share represents a premium of about 6.1% to PolyPeptide's last closing price of 41.75 Swiss francs on Friday, according to a Reuters calculation.

The tender offer is expected to launch by the end of August and close by year-end, Samsung Biologics said.

The takeover would expand the South Korean firm's capabilities in peptide-based therapeutics, including fast-growing obesity and diabetes treatments such as GLP-1 drugs, the company said.

PolyPeptide said its board had unanimously recommended shareholders accept the offer.

Samsung Biologics said after the deal was completed it aimed to pursue a squeeze-out of any remaining minority shares and would delist PolyPeptide from the SIX Swiss Exchange, making it a wholly owned unit of the company.

PolyPeptide said its largest individual shareholder, Draupnir Holding, which owns about 55.65% of the company, supported the deal and would tender all of its shares into the offer.

The Swiss company said in April that Draupnir was conducting a review of strategic options with regard to its majority stake in PolyPeptide.

Draupnir's parent entity is the Cryosphere Foundation, which has links to Swedish billionaire Frederik Paulsen, PolyPeptide has said previously.

($1 = 0.8084 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Mihika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Jamie Freed)