SPB- Schering-Plough-Bayer?

[Anonymous]

This is a shocker! What's your take on this?


Bayer Forms Sales Partnership With Schering-Plough (Update4)
Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Bayer AG, Germany's second-biggest pharmaceutical and chemical maker, formed a partnership with U.S. rival Schering-Plough Corp. to market some of Bayer's biggest drugs after sales lagged in the second quarter.

Schering-Plough, maker of the Claritin allergy pill, will sell Bayer products including the blood pressure drug Adalat, the antibiotics Cipro and Avelox and the impotence pill Levitra in the U.S., Leverkusen, Germany-based Bayer said in a statement to the Frankfurt exchange. Bayer said it plans to focus on selling products to cancer doctors and other specialists.

Bayer last month reported a fifth consecutive quarter without profit growth as Cipro revenue plunged by more than half and Levitra sales missed the company's own forecasts. Bayer has been searching for a partner for its drug business for more than two years, since withdrawing the cholesterol drug Baycol because of potentially fatal side effects.

``A year ago they were talking about mergers, but failed to do anything,'' said Peter Cartwright, an analyst with Williams De Broe in London. ``This looks like second best, but at least it does something on the marketing side in the biggest market.''

Bayer shares rose 61 cents, or 2.9 percent, to 21.67 euros as of 12:11 p.m. in Frankfurt trading.

Kenilworth, New Jersey-based Schering-Plough is seeking to regain profitability after Claritin lost patent protection. Bayer will promote Schering-Plough's Zetia blood pressure drug in Japan under the agreement. Schering-Plough sells Zetia in the U.S. with Merck & Co.

No Merger Plans

The company said there are no plans for a merger between the two companies.

``Both companies want to maintain their independence and there are no commitments,'' Arthur Higgins, chief executive officer of Bayer's health-care unit, said during a conference call with analysts.

Bayer's Cipro, Avelox, Adalat and Levitra generated 350 million euros ($429 million) in U.S. sales during the first half of this year, the company said.

Job Cuts, Costs

About 1,800 Bayer jobs in the U.S. will be cut or transferred to Schering-Plough, resulting in one-time costs of between 50 million euros ($61.3 million) and 70 million euros, Bayer said. The job reductions will cut Bayer's U.S. costs by 75 percent, Higgins said. The company would not give an exact figure for the cost savings.

``The type of business strategy we are adopting is lower risk and having a leaner organization increases our flexibility,'' Higgins said during the conference call.

Bayer, which invented aspirin in the 1890s, will establish a new global oncology business that will market some of Schering- Plough's cancer drugs. Schering-Plough sells the brain cancer medicine Temodar.

The new oncology unit, to be based in West Haven Connecticut, will focus on a kidney cancer treatment, known as BAY 43-9006, that Bayer is developing with U.S. biotechnology company Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. The German company expects U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the medicine by the second half of next year and estimates the product may general annual sales of as much as 500 million euros ($613 million).

Earlier this month Bayer ended development of its experimental Taxane cancer medicine because it failed to meet the company's requirements for advancing into final stages of testing.

Lanxess Spinoff

Bayer is spinning off its Lanxess chemicals unit to shareholders to focus on its more profitable health, farm products and plastics businesses. Bayer in July agreed to buy Roche Holding AG's non-prescription drug unit for 2.38 billion euros to become one of the top three makers of over-the-counter treatments.

``The market reaction shows quite well that everybody is optimistic about this step,'' said Rolf Drees, an analyst and spokesman for Union Investment GmbH, which manages 113 billion euros in investments, including Bayer shares. ``The U.S. is the dominant market and they increase their chances of being better marketed in the U.S. It's a step in the right direction.''



To contact the reporter on this story: Angela Zimm in London at
at azimm@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story. Mark Rohner at
at mrohner@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 13, 2004 06:23 EDT

[Anonymous]

Although they say no merger, I wouldn't count it out in the future.

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
Although they say no merger, I wouldn't count it out in the future.

[/ QUOTE ]

Simply put, as a veteran of over 20 years in the industry, just as Glaxo and SKB became GSK, look for us to become SPB.
And also many of may not know Beecham stood alone and then became Smith-Kline Beecham and then SKB and then GSK.

[Anonymous]

How could these 2 loser shitbags companies ever merge? Between them they don't have enough money to R&D a cup of coffee.

[Anonymous]

Mee-Too'Mee Too! Thanks God Pfred is doing something besides talking at a universtiy about his 4 point plan for health care! Something is better than nothing. Maybe Pfred can get the stock above $19.00. Generics are the future!!
Pfred is on the right track.

[Anonymous]

Dude! This isn't a co-promotion. We are buying the pharma division from Bayer. It has been on the market for a year. We are buying their products and their reps (in theory because most probably won't be around for first quarter). The four products are ours. Any Bayer rep that keeps a job is ours. We are either purchasing the drugs outright, or purchasing them with a percent of sales to go back to Bayer germany. It would be similar to airline A deciding not to fly 747's so it sells all of it's planes, parts, routes and employees to airline B. Airline A is till in business (not taken over) and airline B is still in business, only a little large with more polanes and more employees. Carrie and Chuck cannot use the term takeover or merger or anything like that (well they could but it wouldn't be proper word use) because we aren't taking their company over. We are just buying some of their assets, namely four products and their reps. It will be nice to find out if their bennies are better (or worse) and how smooth the transition is. Also, if they have two reps per territory (I think that is what they have), then will we have seven reps per territory? will they downsize by natural attrition? will there be layoffs (them, not us)? Who will have what products? Do we keep these quinilones until our super Tequin arrives. Will D and E reps have Levitra? Will one have that and one have adalat? Will Omega have resp drugs? will A and B have clarinex, nasonex and the tqo quinilones? There four drugs together barely do a billion. Factor in our two drugs (clarinex and nasonex) and you have six drugs, combined that might only do 1.5 billion to two billion dollars per year. That means that seven reps will be selling drugs that together, with our 50% of the big two, might only do 3 billion dollars next year. I just don't see seven reps to support that. Maybe six with one having the quinilones and nasonex, one having the quinilones and clainex, a third having clarinex, nasonex and levitra, the fourth and fifth having zetia, vytorin and either adalat or levitra, and the sixth having zetia, vytorin and something else. I don't see the seventh rep fitting in. Under this scenario, most of our attention would go to vytorin and zetia (counting the two merck reps) with all other products having a voice that is no greater than two reps (as it should be because those five drugs, combined, might only do a billion five) What do you think?

[Anonymous]

Bayer reps need to interview with SP to keep working. Most will be gone. Bayer SR management screwed up the sales force so badly there was no way the company could survive in primary care. The majority of Bayer reps are very good, well connected and professional. Maybe with SP, they will have a chance to sell again.

[Anonymous]

Former Pharmacia Rep here! Beware the ides of March. Fred is preparing to sell the company. Do your history.

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
Former Pharmacia Rep here! Beware the ides of March. Fred is preparing to sell the company. Do your history.

[/ QUOTE ]

Won't pfizer will be legally free to start "acquiring" again in mid-march? It's just a matter of them picking the therapeutic area (company) that will be the most profitable. Believe it or not, there are a couple other gems out there that might be picked up for a song.

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
Dude! This isn't a co-promotion. We are buying the pharma division from Bayer. It has been on the market for a year. We are buying their products and their reps (in theory because most probably won't be around for first quarter). The four products are ours. Any Bayer rep that keeps a job is ours. We are either purchasing the drugs outright, or purchasing them with a percent of sales to go back to Bayer germany. It would be similar to airline A deciding not to fly 747's so it sells all of it's planes, parts, routes and employees to airline B. Airline A is till in business (not taken over) and airline B is still in business, only a little large with more polanes and more employees. Carrie and Chuck cannot use the term takeover or merger or anything like that (well they could but it wouldn't be proper word use) because we aren't taking their company over. We are just buying some of their assets, namely four products and their reps. It will be nice to find out if their bennies are better (or worse) and how smooth the transition is. Also, if they have two reps per territory (I think that is what they have), then will we have seven reps per territory? will they downsize by natural attrition? will there be layoffs (them, not us)? Who will have what products? Do we keep these quinilones until our super Tequin arrives. Will D and E reps have Levitra? Will one have that and one have adalat? Will Omega have resp drugs? will A and B have clarinex, nasonex and the tqo quinilones? There four drugs together barely do a billion. Factor in our two drugs (clarinex and nasonex) and you have six drugs, combined that might only do 1.5 billion to two billion dollars per year. That means that seven reps will be selling drugs that together, with our 50% of the big two, might only do 3 billion dollars next year. I just don't see seven reps to support that. Maybe six with one having the quinilones and nasonex, one having the quinilones and clainex, a third having clarinex, nasonex and levitra, the fourth and fifth having zetia, vytorin and either adalat or levitra, and the sixth having zetia, vytorin and something else. I don't see the seventh rep fitting in. Under this scenario, most of our attention would go to vytorin and zetia (counting the two merck reps) with all other products having a voice that is no greater than two reps (as it should be because those five drugs, combined, might only do a billion five) What do you think?

[/ QUOTE ] I think you are a complete idiot. They did say that 1800 Bayer employees will be gone. What's with all of this crap above???

[Anonymous]

How exciting - two loser antibiotics and an erectile drug that has already lost the race to Cialis.

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
[QUOTE]
Dude! This isn't a co-promotion. We are buying the pharma division from Bayer. It has been on the market for a year. We are buying their products and their reps (in theory because most probably won't be around for first quarter). The four products are ours. Any Bayer rep that keeps a job is ours. We are either purchasing the drugs outright, or purchasing them with a percent of sales to go back to Bayer germany. It would be similar to airline A deciding not to fly 747's so it sells all of it's planes, parts, routes and employees to airline B. Airline A is till in business (not taken over) and airline B is still in business, only a little large with more polanes and more employees. Carrie and Chuck cannot use the term takeover or merger or anything like that (well they could but it wouldn't be proper word use) because we aren't taking their company over. We are just buying some of their assets, namely four products and their reps. It will be nice to find out if their bennies are better (or worse) and how smooth the transition is. Also, if they have two reps per territory (I think that is what they have), then will we have seven reps per territory? will they downsize by natural attrition? will there be layoffs (them, not us)? Who will have what products? Do we keep these quinilones until our super Tequin arrives. Will D and E reps have Levitra? Will one have that and one have adalat? Will Omega have resp drugs? will A and B have clarinex, nasonex and the tqo quinilones? There four drugs together barely do a billion. Factor in our two drugs (clarinex and nasonex) and you have six drugs, combined that might only do 1.5 billion to two billion dollars per year. That means that seven reps will be selling drugs that together, with our 50% of the big two, might only do 3 billion dollars next year. I just don't see seven reps to support that. Maybe six with one having the quinilones and nasonex, one having the quinilones and clainex, a third having clarinex, nasonex and levitra, the fourth and fifth having zetia, vytorin and either adalat or levitra, and the sixth having zetia, vytorin and something else. I don't see the seventh rep fitting in. Under this scenario, most of our attention would go to vytorin and zetia (counting the two merck reps) with all other products having a voice that is no greater than two reps (as it should be because those five drugs, combined, might only do a billion five) What do you think?

[/ QUOTE ] I think you are a complete idiot. They did say that 1800 Bayer employees will be gone. What's with all of this crap above???

[/ QUOTE ]
Dude! What part of my post didn't your dumb ass understand? Some Bayer reps will be kept around. It might be as a sixth sales force and it my be to fill vacancies, or both. I cannot see us keeping every bayer rep that is in the field. And to the other post above, you are correct. These products won't set the market on fire but it will give us drugs taht are different among our detail bags. In case your dumb ass didn't notice, all five of us have the same four products in our bag. These additional products will allow us to be different from the other four (or five) Schering reps that enter the office. It is an every day thing to have a receptionist look at our business card and say that someone was just in with these products, so thanks but no thanks.

[Anonymous]

agreement calls for SP to outsource garenoxacin now-and not later-only Bayer quins will be promoted-and don't get too pissy about having Bayer quins since you guys didn't exactly set the world on fire w/Teq or that lame cephalosporin a few years ago

[Anonymous]

It's all about Reach and Frequency! We can't court a buyer without competitive R&F. This could be the home stretch prior to acquisition. Who do you think want's to buy us now?

[Anonymous]

I am in tight wiht the Bayer RD. In the agreement at lest 1000 reps will have to be integrated from Bayer. This is to include some VPs, RDs and DMs. Everyone in SGP has been stack ranked in the past six months for this very purpose. If there are too many in a geographical area the 2 bottom SGP folks will be laid off to accommodate the Bayer people based on the contract. Hope you have been getting along with your supervisor. Big changes to come over the next month with completion of the integration by first of the year.

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
I am in tight wiht the Bayer RD. In the agreement at lest 1000 reps will have to be integrated from Bayer. This is to include some VPs, RDs and DMs. Everyone in SGP has been stack ranked in the past six months for this very purpose. If there are too many in a geographical area the 2 bottom SGP folks will be laid off to accommodate the Bayer people based on the contract. Hope you have been getting along with your supervisor. Big changes to come over the next month with completion of the integration by first of the year.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly what us SGP reps need to be thinking about. Obviously this is a situation where both companies will be removing the "dead wood".

[Anonymous]

Dude! You are full of shit! And you can quote me. Sometimes it is better to remain silent and thought ignorant, than to speak up and remove all doubt, you dumbass! We won't have any layoffs! Half of the Bayer reps will be gone, so bend over cause I have something for you to "stack rank"!

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
I am in tight wiht the Bayer RD. In the agreement at lest 1000 reps will have to be integrated from Bayer. This is to include some VPs, RDs and DMs. Everyone in SGP has been stack ranked in the past six months for this very purpose. If there are too many in a geographical area the 2 bottom SGP folks will be laid off to accommodate the Bayer people based on the contract. Hope you have been getting along with your supervisor. Big changes to come over the next month with completion of the integration by first of the year.

[/ QUOTE ] Just what we need at Schering 1000 more losers, I thoght Kenexa was bad. Anyone with any talent at Bayer is long gone just the old and HR issues bag draggers are left and some beat up drugs with no formulary status

[Anonymous]

Dude you guys couldnt sell ice to people in hell..you guys had your asses handed to you when Claritin became generic, and are now competing with sterilized saline with Nasonex, Us former Bayer reps have handled adversity for the past 3 years, not to mention we kicked you and BMS miserable asses during the launch of Tequin and Avelox in many territories so bad that BMS got rid of you and now look where Tequin is??? We even sold Baycol in a market against PFE and MRK with half the sales force and a quarter of the budget granted Baycol was voluntarily pulled off but we still handled all the negative press and lawsuits regained credibilty with our Drs and sold the hell of CIPRO XR against not only our version of the BID but also a generic compeititor and turned a profit. You guys are still crying everytime you pass the pharmacy OTC aisle at Wal-Mart. Cmon have confidence in your skills and salesmanship because when we come on board we are hungry,battlescarred, and pissed off!! So you better wipe your DMs ass because we will be a force to either complement you or make you look like little girls selling girlscout cookies..COMING YOUR WAY...

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
Dude you guys couldnt sell ice to people in hell..you guys had your asses handed to you when Claritin became generic, and are now competing with sterilized saline with Nasonex, Us former Bayer reps have handled adversity for the past 3 years, not to mention we kicked you and BMS miserable asses during the launch of Tequin and Avelox in many territories so bad that BMS got rid of you and now look where Tequin is??? We even sold Baycol in a market against PFE and MRK with half the sales force and a quarter of the budget granted Baycol was voluntarily pulled off but we still handled all the negative press and lawsuits regained credibilty with our Drs and sold the hell of CIPRO XR against not only our version of the BID but also a generic compeititor and turned a profit. You guys are still crying everytime you pass the pharmacy OTC aisle at Wal-Mart. Cmon have confidence in your skills and salesmanship because when we come on board we are hungry,battlescarred, and pissed off!! So you better wipe your DMs ass because we will be a force to either complement you or make you look like little girls selling girlscout cookies..COMING YOUR WAY...

[/ QUOTE ]

Crying when we walk by the OTC aisle at Walmart? Actually, dilbag, Claritin RX to Claritin OTC was the most successful switch in industry history. 70% of allergy patients never went to their doctor for a script- they had to survive on sedating OTC anti-histamines. Now, they all buy Claritin alongwith 50% of the former Claritin RX users. The rest get to choose from what's left on RX. It may not be Clarinex now, but it will be. After all, the staff uses the Clarinex samples and the doctors and their families use the Clarinex samples so it's an easy way to get in the door and it's a guarantee of future Rxs...

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
[QUOTE]
Dude you guys couldnt sell ice to people in hell..you guys had your asses handed to you when Claritin became generic, and are now competing with sterilized saline with Nasonex, Us former Bayer reps have handled adversity for the past 3 years, not to mention we kicked you and BMS miserable asses during the launch of Tequin and Avelox in many territories so bad that BMS got rid of you and now look where Tequin is??? We even sold Baycol in a market against PFE and MRK with half the sales force and a quarter of the budget granted Baycol was voluntarily pulled off but we still handled all the negative press and lawsuits regained credibilty with our Drs and sold the hell of CIPRO XR against not only our version of the BID but also a generic compeititor and turned a profit. You guys are still crying everytime you pass the pharmacy OTC aisle at Wal-Mart. Cmon have confidence in your skills and salesmanship because when we come on board we are hungry,battlescarred, and pissed off!! So you better wipe your DMs ass because we will be a force to either complement you or make you look like little girls selling girlscout cookies..COMING YOUR WAY...

[/ QUOTE ]

Crying when we walk by the OTC aisle at Walmart? Actually, dilbag, Claritin RX to Claritin OTC was the most successful switch in industry history. 70% of allergy patients never went to their doctor for a script- they had to survive on sedating OTC anti-histamines. Now, they all buy Claritin alongwith 50% of the former Claritin RX users. The rest get to choose from what's left on RX. It may not be Clarinex now, but it will be. After all, the staff uses the Clarinex samples and the doctors and their families use the Clarinex samples so it's an easy way to get in the door and it's a guarantee of future Rxs...

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you delusional? You're company is about to go bankrupt and you are talking about Clarinex getting scripts one day... The time is now!

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
[QUOTE]
[QUOTE]
Dude you guys couldnt sell ice to people in hell..you guys had your asses handed to you when Claritin became generic, and are now competing with sterilized saline with Nasonex, Us former Bayer reps have handled adversity for the past 3 years, not to mention we kicked you and BMS miserable asses during the launch of Tequin and Avelox in many territories so bad that BMS got rid of you and now look where Tequin is??? We even sold Baycol in a market against PFE and MRK with half the sales force and a quarter of the budget granted Baycol was voluntarily pulled off but we still handled all the negative press and lawsuits regained credibilty with our Drs and sold the hell of CIPRO XR against not only our version of the BID but also a generic compeititor and turned a profit. You guys are still crying everytime you pass the pharmacy OTC aisle at Wal-Mart. Cmon have confidence in your skills and salesmanship because when we come on board we are hungry,battlescarred, and pissed off!! So you better wipe your DMs ass because we will be a force to either complement you or make you look like little girls selling girlscout cookies..COMING YOUR WAY...

[/ QUOTE ]

Crying when we walk by the OTC aisle at Walmart? Actually, dilbag, Claritin RX to Claritin OTC was the most successful switch in industry history. 70% of allergy patients never went to their doctor for a script- they had to survive on sedating OTC anti-histamines. Now, they all buy Claritin alongwith 50% of the former Claritin RX users. The rest get to choose from what's left on RX. It may not be Clarinex now, but it will be. After all, the staff uses the Clarinex samples and the doctors and their families use the Clarinex samples so it's an easy way to get in the door and it's a guarantee of future Rxs...

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you delusional? You're company is about to go bankrupt and you are talking about Clarinex getting scripts one day... The time is now!

[/ QUOTE ]

ARE YOU DELUSIONAL, I DONT HAVE TO REINTERVIEW FOR MY JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Boy's & Girls,

This is no way to start a collaborative effort out. I fail to see how challenges, inuendos, claims or other indecent communications bring value to the road ahead.

To the Bayer reps: Good luck with the challenges you face. Change is never easy but somewhere in this chaos is a change for the better.

To the SGP reps: Shine like you've never shined before. The microscope is on us folks. You better have a plan and communicate that to your boss and perhaps their boss too. Tell em why you are the valued employee that you are.


We all have challenges ahead with this sales force acquisition. We'd better start acting like a cohesive team!

[Anonymous]

Do you know that the good Bayer Reps already have left the company.

[Anonymous]

I hear the same could be said for SP! http://www.cafepharma.com/ubbthreads/images//graemlins/blush.gif

[Anonymous]

What an ignorant newbie! Just go back to the history of some industry mergers and cross-liscencing agreements. This deal has guaranteed Bayer that we will absorb approx. 1000 of their employees. It's not hard to do the math. Do we really need 8 per cluster vs. 5? You my friend are part of the extra head count that will be dissolved into the unemployment line. About 30 dm's will come over from Bayer and a handful of VP's and their favorite RD's. Why do you think there has been a freeze on promotion transfers. This has all been in the wood for a while and these promotions have been predesignated. Again, you have been ranked within your district and the region. The bottom 20% are dead! Go find a job since you are one of these. Just ask your dm if you don't believe me or why don't you call hr and ask to review your file. Legally they have to let you.

[Anonymous]

So true. This has been in the works for a long time. With 1000 reps coming over, the "good" Bayer reps can breathe a sigh of relief. 1000 Schering "Not so good" employees will probably be sacked. Like the poster above, I find it hard that with the smaller territories we really need 8 reps per cluster. (Oh! Excuse me Phred, "POD"). Granted we are bringing Cipro and Avelox and Levitra to sell. With our bonuses in the shitter for the time being, having Levitra is a great boost to the old bank account. Give doc ONE box, write down you gave FOUR. Sell the THREE extras for $10.00 a pill at local night clubs to horny stupid 20 somethings. I should be back up to 5000 bucks a month in no time soon! http://www.cafepharma.com/ubbthreads/images//graemlins/grin.gif

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE]
Dude you guys couldnt sell ice to people in hell..you guys had your asses handed to you when Claritin became generic, and are now competing with sterilized saline with Nasonex, Us former Bayer reps have handled adversity for the past 3 years, not to mention we kicked you and BMS miserable asses during the launch of Tequin and Avelox in many territories so bad that BMS got rid of you and now look where Tequin is??? We even sold Baycol in a market against PFE and MRK with half the sales force and a quarter of the budget granted Baycol was voluntarily pulled off but we still handled all the negative press and lawsuits regained credibilty with our Drs and sold the hell of CIPRO XR against not only our version of the BID but also a generic compeititor and turned a profit. You guys are still crying everytime you pass the pharmacy OTC aisle at Wal-Mart. Cmon have confidence in your skills and salesmanship because when we come on board we are hungry,battlescarred, and pissed off!! So you better wipe your DMs ass because we will be a force to either complement you or make you look like little girls selling girlscout cookies..COMING YOUR WAY...

[/ QUOTE ]

Son, you don't get it. You are not guaranteed a job and with your attitude you probably won't get one with us.

[Anonymous]

Well, DUDE ... do your precious physicans/staff have anything else but Clarinex samples, or do you sample GENERICS? What a dumb ass. http://www.cafepharma.com/ubbthreads/images//graemlins/tongue.gif

[Anonymous]

Give it time Bozo. You will be next. Obviously. Time will tell.

[Anonymous]

As Rodney King once said....."Can't we all just get along?"

[aertggyt]

I remember this medicine my grandfather used to take it…..but he is no more now. he died of heart attack….if anyone is interested in having more information on this medicine then you can browse on page http://www.drugdelivery.ca/s3105-s-ADALAT.aspx

[Anonymous]

how funny is it to read these posts from the past and realize how stupid most of you are? The not so funny thing is most of you still post crap about us selling oncology business unit and other crap that's also totally bullshit.

What about all the jackasses that said Fred was going to sell us 3 years ago? HA. dickheads