Boutique Firms Steal the Show on Year’s Top Health-Care Deal

Boutique advisory firms are taking most of the limelight on the year’s biggest health-care deal.

AstraZeneca Plc tapped Evercore Inc. and Centerview Partners as lead financial advisers on its $39 billion takeover of Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. This deal helped Evercore jump three places higher in the mergers and acquisitions league tables, to No. 9 globally, while Centerview moved up five spots to No. 12, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co. were listed as financial advisers as well as lead debt underwriters to Astra, while Goldman Sachs Group Inc. was also one of the ...