Merck KGaA Slides After Decision not to seek US Drug Approval

Merck KGaA (MRK) fell as much as 1.9 percent in Frankfurt trading after the German drugmaker said it would no longer seek approval for the multiple sclerosis pill cladribine as regulators requested new clinical trials.

 

Now do you believe the BS Rick R, Jim H and others have fed us for years. It is time for us to listen to the people from outside the company. They understand the big picture while our leaders just feed us BS company lines

 

You know, if i heard it once i heard it 10x's over the years: pompous-ass RR pontificating on his high horse bragging about how R. Munschaeur said, "why should i take your company seriously, you're a fertility company playing in the neurology space." Then RR would go on to say how Munschaeur would admit that he was wrong. No, Dr. Munschaeur, you couldn't have been more right!

 

Do you remember this drunk up on stage and embarrassing himself. What a joke for a leader and JH allowed him to act in this manner. If the writing is not on the wall now you need to open your eyes. If you stay in Neurology you are lazy and just after a paycheck. Your career is at a dead end.

 

A couple of quick points:

1) With the ramp up of the sales force in anticipation of Clad, do we really need 90 plus Pfizer reps and 90 plus Serono reps, plus SAMs to promote Rebif

2) When Merck Kgaa bought EMD Serono it was to have a presence in the US. Are those drugs ever coming over for EMD Serono to promote

3) When you think about the "big" pharma vs "small" pharma debate one thing big pharma can do - sometimes is sustain a loss of an approval since the portfolio is deeper. That puts a premium on Business Development and the ability to acquire other companies/technologies as backup. Maybe there is backup plan in this arena. Since these dealings are usually hush, hush, let's hope there was enough foresight not to put all the eggs in the Clad basket

4) It's a good thing that Rebif is a solid established treatment for MS. If there is nothing new in neurology for the near future then there will be a premium put on product differentiation. Not everyone is cut out to sell a mature product that may lose market share because it is the market leader in the DMD space. What will make this even more challenging is that other companies may be coming out with more innovative products and EMD Serono will not be perceived as a player in MS.

5) Now is not the time to cry over what could have been or what should have been. Now is the time for leadership at all levels to step up, reinvent EMD Serono Neurology if necessary an move forward. This is a setback no doubt, but if we have the right leadership in place there will be plan for growth in the future. If not point #1 will become a function of maximizing profits with a mature brand and the easiest way to do that is to see what is the minimum amount of expense (field sales force) necessary to sustain a profit

No way to sugarcoat this: Not a good day for Neurology, but one that can be overcome with a sound business plan and a diversified approach toward entering new markets. Who's to say MS is the Holy grail??

Until the new plan is unveiled, keep cranking out those SRFs!!!

 

This drug is dead; this division is dead; this company is dead.

How many more PR and business hits can it withstand before cuts come?

Better put your CV out. Don't get caught watching....

 

We don't have the right leadership. This has been the problem for many years. Jobs will be lost soon. We will focus on KOL's and many KAMs will be downsized. Headcount will drop by 30 KAMs by year end.

 

Hold the show. There is salvation. Our leader and master mind, RR, was brought in for his M&A experience. After all, he effectively brokered the Fast Forward Project with the NMSS. Great waste of 20 mill, Rickster. What's next, in-licensing "the clapper?"

 

Could you imagine being a Merck KGA stockholder prior to the Serono purchase. This has to be the worst acquisition for Merck ever and it goes down as one of the worse ever in the Pharma industry. Ernesto has to be the smartest or luckiest man. I am sure he is smiling today while RR gets drunk.

 

Just a FYI - The non-compete we signed is not enforcable. They will tell you it is but a very, very good source told me it is more a scare tactic than anything. They do not want to defend anymore lawsuits so don't be scared to leave.