Irish drug house Elan Corp. is using Sard Verbinnen & Co and FTI Consulting to bolster its takeover defense in the aftermath of a $6.6B offer from New York-based Royalty Pharma, an investment management company.

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Elan’s board dismissed the “highly opportunistic timing” of the RP Feb.  25 announcement that was  made a little more than two weeks after Elan wrapped up a $3.25B deal to sell a 50 percent stake in Tysabri, a multiple sclerosis drug, to Biogen Idec.

It also noted that Elan has been working on a “number of strategic transactions” during the past year that will result in big returns for its public shareholders.

RP is using Abernathy MacGregor Group and Maitland to further its effort to provide Elan shareholders an “attractive financial alternative” that would allow them to receive upfront cash for their stock.

It met with Elan chairman Robert Ingram on Feb. 20 to discuss a deal, but never received a formal response to its offer.

Elan’s team includes Jamie Tully, SV&C managing director in New York, and Jonathan Birt, FTI managing director of strategic communications in London.

RP counts on Tom Johnson, AM’s mergers & acquisitions chief in New York, and Tom Buchanan, senior partner of Maitland in London.