Thomas H. Lee in Lead to Buy Glaxo Consumer Assets

Private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners is in the lead to buy consumer-health assets from GlaxoSmithKline, writes Reuters. Glaxo has been hoping to receive second-round bids for a clutch of its non-prescription drugs – which include its diet pill Alli, Lactacyd soap, FiberChoice diet supplements and Nytol sleep aid, writes Reuters.

(Reuters) – Private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners LP is in the lead to buy consumer-health assets from the world’s No. 2 drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK.L) and a deal may be announced this week, Bloomberg reported citing two people familiar with the matter.

Glaxo has been hoping to receive second-round bids for a clutch of its non-prescription drugs – which include its diet pill Alli, Lactacyd soap, FiberChoice diet supplements and Nytol sleep aid — by mid-November, Reuters reported in October.

The brands, which are mainly available in the U.S. and Europe, account for about 10 percent of Glaxo’s revenue from consumer products in 2010. A spokesperson for Thomas H. Lee declined to comment. GlaxoSmithKline was not immediately available for comment.

Private equity firms Bain Capital LLC and Blackstone Group LP BX.N, which has partnered with Prestige Brands Holdings Inc PBH.N, have also put in a joint bid, the people said.

Bain, Blackstone and Prestige Brands were not immediately available for comment.