News in brief

Winpak wins Reynolds’ Packaging license race

31-Mar-2009 - Canada’s Winpak has gained an exclusive license to use Reynolds Packaging’s manufacturing know-how in the production of packaging for the drug and healthcare industries.

News in brief

Lundbeck rumours boost Elan’s share price

30-Mar-2009 - Speculation that drugmaker Elan is a takeover target for Denmark’s Lundbeck boosted the Irish drugmakers share price 11 per cent on Friday last week.

News in brief

Novartis bids for greater share of Indian subsidiary

26-Mar-2009 - Novartis is looking to buy an additional 39 per cent of its majority-owned subsidiary Novartis India for around 4.4bn rupees ($87m), or 351 rupees per share.

GSK may move for Botox maker Allergan

25-Mar-2009 - The pharmaceutical rumour mill is still spinning with the latest speculation that UK drug major GSK is interested in Botox manufacturer Allergan causing the US firm’s share price to leap 13 per cent on the New York Stock Exchange.

Pharma mega mergers a boon for Patheon's restructuring service, says CEO

25-Mar-2009 - The global economic downturn, impending blockbuster patent expiries and the wave of consolidation sweeping the pharmaceutical industry will drive demand for Patheon’s restructuring service according to CEO Wesley Wheeler.

Skin care firm Stiefel considers $4bn sale

23-Mar-2009 - Dermatology drug specialist Stiefel Laboratories may be looking for a Big Pharma buyer according to various media reports.

Merck moves for Schering in $41bn mega-merger

10-Mar-2009 - The year of the mega-merger continues with Merck & Co’s move to buy Schering-Plough for $41.1bn, with the intention of boosting its pipeline, entering new markets and creating a “powerful biologics presence”.

Breaking News

Merck & Co to pay $41bn for Schering Plough

09-Mar-2009 - Merck & Co is to buy fellow US drug major Schering Plough for $41bn (€32.6bn) to boost its pipeline in the face of impending patent expiry for key products.

Piramal won’t “dilute ownership,” or comment on Sanofi rumours

04-Mar-2009 - Indian generics firm Piramal Healthcare says it "has no intention to dilute current ownership levels," but has not commented on rumours that it is in talks with French firm Sanofi Aventis.

Genentech to Roche: We’re equipped for hard times

04-Mar-2009 - Genentech believes a far-sighted approach to patent expiration, unique and life saving drugs and an unrivalled scientific culture will protect it from recession and ensure greater growth than Roche envisions.

"Anywhere, anytime" – Genentech challenges Roche

03-Mar-2009 - Genentech used its investor meeting to retaliate against criticisms made by Roche, saying it will debate its financial model “anywhere, anytime with anyone”.

Multinational deals set to continue in Indian pharma

23-Feb-2009 - The Indian pharmaceutical and biotech sectors may see more M&A activity this year with rumours that GSK, Sanofi Aventis and Merck KGaA are on the look out for potential deals.

Sanofi "no comment" on deal for Brazil's Medley

17-Feb-2009 - French drug major Sanofi Aventis is in talks about taking over market leading Brazilian generics firm Medley, according to reports the country’s Valor Economico newspaper.

Sanofi won’t follow mega-merger plan like Pfizer’s, says CEO

12-Feb-2009 - New Sanofi Aventis chief Christopher Viebacher has virtually ruled out major acquisitions, eschewing the trend started by Pfizer’s $68bn (€53bn) swoop for Wyeth in favour of an anti-mega merger stance like that adopted by UK rival GSK.

Genentech wanted $112 per share from Roche; SEC filing

11-Feb-2009 - The strained relationship between Genentech and Roche has been revealed in a SEC filing, which details their differing valuations and accusations of misleading financial models.

Amcor in talks for Alcan’s packaging unit

10-Feb-2009 - Australian packaging company Amcor is in talks with mining giant Rio Tinto about buying part of the latter’s Alcan Packaging Division, confirming speculation that emerged late last year.

Genentech “disappointed” at Roche’s hostile action

02-Feb-2009 - Roche has stepped up its pursuit of Genentech, launching a hostile bid of $42bn after growing frustrated with the lack of progress over the past six months.

M&A fever sweeps drug industry in wake of Pfizer-Wyeth deal

29-Jan-2009 - Pfizer’s $68bn swoop for Wyeth looks set to start an epidemic of merger madness according to comments by Frost & Sullivan (F&S) analyst Shabeer Hussain.

Pfizer to acquire Wyeth in $68bn deal

26-Jan-2009 - Pfizer has confirmed it has entered into an agreement to buy Wyeth in a deal worth $68bn, which it hopes will strengthen its position in anticipation of a challenging few years.

Sanofi to sell liquid drugs plant to Unither

19-Jan-2009 - Sanofi-Aventis is to sell its liquid drug manufacturing plant in Colomiers, southwest France, to industry specialist Unither for an as yet undisclosed sum.

News in brief

Taro accuses Sun of PR posturing

06-Jan-2009 - Taro chairman Barrie Levitt says Sun’s publication of details of incomplete settlement talks designed to address the parties’ long running acquisition battle violates confidentiality agreements and presents a one-sided view of current events.

Hectic week of M&A led by the return of King to Alpharma

26-Nov-2008 - King Pharmaceuticals’ $1.6bn (€1.2bn) acquisition of Alpharma heads a busy week of deals that has seen J&J agree to pay $438m for Omrix and India’s Sun further its presence in the US narcotic APIs sector through the purchase of Chattem Chemicals.

News in brief

Lilly completes $6bn ImClone acquisition

25-Nov-2008 - Eli Lilly has bought ImClone for around $6bn (€4.6bn), gaining access to the blockbuster cancer therapy Erbitux (cetuximab) and significantly expanding its portfolio of Phase III oncology candidates, including IMC11F8 which is viewed as a potential Erbitux successor.

Reshaping R&D replaces cost cutting as top priority

13-Nov-2008 - Cost cutting has sustained pharma profits in the faltering global economy, however top executives are starting to realise that reducing R&D capacity may not have been the smartest move in an era of weak pipelines and impending patent expiry, according to a new report by Ernst & Young.