The cows have come home to Merck ( ). The Big Pharma's former animal health joint venture with Sanofi Aventis ( ) is once again in its corral. The two companies are venturing down the road to animal health sales just as one of its biggest rivals continues to divest its non human interests. 
Share:  The cows have come home to <span class="company">Merck</span> ( ). The Big Pharma's former animal health joint venture with Sanofi Aventis ( ) is once again in its corral. The two companies are venturing down the road to animal health sales just as one of its biggest rivals continues to divest its non human interests. Tweet this 

It's official: Sanofi Aventis and Merck are hooking up again on animal health. By combining the animal health business Merck acquired along with Schering Plough Intervet with Sanofi's now wholly owned Merial, the companies would create the biggest animal drugs and vaccines company in the world. . Merck and Sanofi dissolved their joint venture on Merial when Sanofi bought Merck's 50 percent share for $4 billion. 
Share:  It's official: Sanofi Aventis and <span class="company">Merck</span> are hooking up again on animal health. By combining the animal health business <span class="company">Merck</span> acquired along with Schering Plough Intervet with Sanofi's now wholly owned Merial, the companies would create the biggest animal drugs and vaccines company in the world. . <span class="company">Merck</span> and Sanofi dissolved their joint venture on Merial when Sanofi bought <span class="company">Merck</span>'s 50 percent share for $4 billion. Tweet this 

The action frees up money to be invested more flexibly in promising projects, whether taking place internally or externally. That reflects a growing recognition even by companies such as Merck – once proud of its almost exclusively in house efforts – of the need to tap scientific breakthroughs taking place outside its own walls. Andrew Baum, pharmaceuticals analyst with Morgan Stanley, forecasts that many more companies will shift towards a greater "externalisation" of their drug portfolios, estimating that the returns could be three times as high from investing in less risky drugs already brought to mid stage development by biotech companies. But the switch away from in house drug development by large companies also raises concerns. 
Share:  The action frees up money to be invested more flexibly in promising projects, whether taking place internally or externally. That reflects a growing recognition even by companies such as <span class="company">Merck</span> – once proud of its almost exclusively in house efforts – of the need to tap scientific breakthroughs taking place outside its own walls.<span class="sent"> <span class="analyst">Andrew Baum</span>, pharmaceuticals analyst with Morgan Stanley, forecasts that many more companies will shift towards a greater "externalisation" of their drug portfolios, estimating that the returns could be three times as high from investing in less risky drugs already brought to mid stage development by biotech companies.</span> But the switch away from in house drug development by large companies also raises concerns. Tweet this 

An Australian court held Merck liable for the heart attack suffered by a patient using its now withdrawn painkiller Vioxx. The federal judge ruled that Vioxx was defective and ordered the drugmaker's Australian unit to pay about $260,000 in compensation to the patient, Graeme Peterson. . Vioxx almost doubled the risk of a heart attack, Justice Christopher Jessup ruled, making it "not reasonably fit" for use as a pain reliever. 
Share:  An Australian court held <span class="company">Merck</span> liable for the heart attack suffered by a patient using its now withdrawn painkiller Vioxx. The federal judge ruled that Vioxx was defective and ordered the drugmaker's Australian unit to pay about $260,000 in compensation to the patient, Graeme Peterson. . Vioxx almost doubled the risk of a heart attack, Justice Christopher Jessup ruled, making it "not reasonably fit" for use as a pain reliever. Tweet this 

But as the Wall Street Journal points out, both Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Merck are likely to cheer an appeals court decision on the blood pressure drugs Cozaar and Hyzaar. . The new ruling awards 180 day exclusivity to Teva on its versions of both drugs, reversing a lower court's decision to deny that first to market advantage. Clearly, that's a win for Teva; it will have six months as the only copycat provider of two of the most popular hypertension meds on the market. 
Share:  But as the Wall Street Journal points out, both Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and <span class="company">Merck</span> are likely to cheer an appeals court decision on the blood pressure drugs Cozaar and Hyzaar. . The new ruling awards 180 day exclusivity to Teva on its versions of both drugs, reversing a lower court's decision to deny that first to market advantage. Clearly, that's a win for Teva; it will have six months as the only copycat provider of two of the most popular hypertension meds on the market. Tweet this 

Still, the price is so high that Merck's return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to Sachin Jain, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Merck last week said earnings this year will increase less than analysts had estimated and proposed a 33 percent reduction in the dividend. "The deal appears expensive and we have the impression that investors would have preferred an enhancement of the pharma segment and now might interpret the acquisition at that price as a defensive move," Peter Duellmann, an analyst for Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie in Cologne, wrote in a report Monday 
Share:  Still, the price is so high that <span class="company">Merck</span>'s return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to Sachin Jain, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. <span class="company">Merck</span> last week said earnings this year will increase less than analysts had estimated and proposed a 33 percent reduction in the dividend.<span class="sent"> "The deal appears expensive and we have the impression that investors would have preferred an enhancement of the pharma segment and now might interpret the acquisition at that price as a defensive move," <span class="analyst">Peter Duellmann</span>, an analyst for Sal.</span> Oppenheim Jr. & Cie in Cologne, wrote in a report Monday....Still, the price is so high that <span class="company">Merck</span>'s return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to Sachin Jain, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. <span class="company">Merck</span> last week said earnings this year will increase less than analysts had estimated and proposed a 33 percent reduction in the dividend.<span class="sent"> "The deal appears expensive and we have the impression that investors would have preferred an enhancement of the pharma segment and now might interpret the acquisition at that price as a defensive move," <span class="analyst">Peter Duellmann</span>, an analyst for Sal.</span> Oppenheim Jr. & Cie in Cologne, wrote in a report Monday. Tweet this 

The purchase, announced Feb. 28, will give Merck a more profitable business after its drug unit had setbacks on the Erbitux cancer treatment and a multiple sclerosis pill. Still, the price is so high that Merck's return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to Sachin Jain, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. 
Share:  The purchase, announced Feb. 28, will give <span class="company">Merck</span> a more profitable business after its drug unit had setbacks on the Erbitux cancer treatment and a multiple sclerosis pill.<span class="sent"> Still, the price is so high that <span class="company">Merck</span>'s return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to <span class="analyst">Sachin Jain</span>, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.</span>...The purchase, announced Feb. 28, will give <span class="company">Merck</span> a more profitable business after its drug unit had setbacks on the Erbitux cancer treatment and a multiple sclerosis pill.<span class="sent"> Still, the price is so high that <span class="company">Merck</span>'s return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to <span class="analyst">Sachin Jain</span>, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.</span>...<span class="sent">Still, the price is so high that <span class="company">Merck</span>'s return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to <span class="analyst">Sachin Jain</span>, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.</span> <span class="company">Merck</span> last week said earnings this year will increase less than analysts had estimated and proposed a 33 percent reduction in the dividend. "The deal appears expensive and we have the impression that investors would have preferred an enhanc Tweet this 

Merck will also gain Millipore's expertise in testing and manufacturing biotechnology drugs, said Deutsche Bank analyst Ross Muken. "The angle for Merck is access to high growth biologics,'' Muken said 
Share:  <span class="sent"><span class="company">Merck</span> will also gain Millipore's expertise in testing and manufacturing biotechnology drugs, said Deutsche Bank analyst <span class="analyst">Ross Muken</span>.</span> "The angle for <span class="company">Merck</span> is access to high growth biologics,'' Muken said....<span class="sent"><span class="company">Merck</span> will also gain Millipore's expertise in testing and manufacturing biotechnology drugs, said Deutsche Bank analyst <span class="analyst">Ross Muken</span>.</span> "The angle for <span class="company">Merck</span> is access to high growth biologics,'' Muken said. Tweet this 

Still, the price is so high that Merck's return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to Sachin Jain, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Merck last week said earnings this year will increase less than analysts had estimated and proposed a 33 percent reduction in the dividend. "The deal appears expensive and we have the impression that investors would have preferred an enhancement of the pharma segment and now might interpret the acquisition at that price as a defensive move," Peter Duellmann, an analyst for Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie in Cologne, wrote in a report yesterday. 
Share:  Still, the price is so high that <span class="company">Merck</span>'s return on the investment will be less than the cost of the financing to fund the deal, according to Sachin Jain, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. <span class="company">Merck</span> last week said earnings this year will increase less than analysts had estimated and proposed a 33 percent reduction in the dividend.<span class="sent"> "The deal appears expensive and we have the impression that investors would have preferred an enhancement of the pharma segment and now might interpret the acquisition at that price as a defensive move," <span class="analyst">Peter Duellmann</span>, an analyst for Sal.</span> Oppenheim Jr. & Cie in Cologne, wrote in a report yesterday. Tweet this