Who'll we buy now?

With all the Allergan/actavis/AZ garbage going on, any thoughts on who we might acquire? Personally, the deal with Merck from oncology standpoint should boost our pipeline and future. So I say forget an acquisition. Keep our cash. Who needs em? We can go it alone TOO. We have the smartest reps in the industry. Managers are a whole different story!!!!!

 

Merck/Cancer will boost oncology pipeline but what about the rest of our pipeline? That's what makes me cautious.

 

We'll find out next week if Astra-Zeneca is still a target. I'm thinking it is........

 

Hopefully, they will go after AZ again. But, their CEO is basically a total idiot! The iron predicted $45 billion in sales by 2023 or somewhere around that time. $45 billion my ass! AZ will lose a ton of good products over the next few years. Their last success was Symbicort and nothing big since then.

 

that shipped has sailed my friend. read the press clippings…we wanted AZ for their cancer pipeline and we've now found ourselves another cancer pipeline.

 

Agree. Most news on the Az Pfizer offer suggests it has been dead for some time now and zero chance of us making another offer. But, there are a few analysts who seem to think it might happen. Yeah, high hopes for AZ clowns to suggest that much revenue over next few years. Let's see that happen!

 

Why would anyone rebuff the advances of the high and mighty Pfizer? After all...aren't we the best of the best? Don't we bring out the best of everything in any company we acquire ? Don't we hire/keep the best of the best and reward them with superior salaries and benefits in all of Pharma? Don't we offer an environment where one can grow and have a long fruitful, successful career? Can any other company dare compete with us?? Companies should be lining up outside our door on 42nd street begging us to take them over. What are the employees and ELTs of these companies thinking? Don't they know who we are? Repeat-DO THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE???? Ungrateful, uninformed trolls-all of them. How dare they!!!

 

AZ deal is 95% dead, would never say 100%. We offered 55 euro per share, they said they would start talking at 58.50. Since then, they have reported positive happenings in their cardio and oncology areas as well as had a drug or 2 approved and gone on a buying spree themselves. One of their largest shareholders has spoken out against it happening recently and there really wasn't a huge uproar by shareholders back in May. We'd have to come in with an offer of probably 61 euros per share or higher. At that point it probably isn't worth it. Both the US and UK governments weren't in favor and recent tax stuff in US and the upcoming UK elections, really don't make it attractive anymore. Plus our recent agreement with Merck KGA limits us with drugs in the PDL-1 class which is where AZ's big cancer drug lies. Ian will look the fool after saying he was only after friendly acquisitions if he goes after AZ again. Especially if he fails or pays way to much. We are stuck selling our old products awaiting another reorg.

 

Interesting points and smart assumption on your part. Thinking it's around Thanksgiving when AZ could be approached? So I guess the stock market would be a fairly good gauge if an approach might be made. Back in May? The az stock price went high just because of rumors. So let's see what their stock price does next week? But you're probably dead on, we'd be better off buying another company with strong oncology pipeline. Bye bye, AZ. It was a pleasure not doing business with ya.

 

Fuck all this AZ talk! I say it's the other UK firm...Shire. Abbvie just left them on the dance floor but not before handing over $1.6B...that's good fuck you money that they can do some good things with. But really the new CEO wants nothing to do with any drug that whiffs of blockbuster so why not sell off the Neuroscience BU?? Shire is about to launch a new indication for Binge Eating Disorder...a new market with nothing. Pfizer had a lot of experience launching new drugs in new markets (aka Viagra).

I say pull the trigger!!

 

FYI Merck KGAA is not the same company as Merck In the US. merck KGAA is the owner of Rebif also known serono in the US.

I hope we buy GSK vaccine division. Gives us a huge footprint in the $26b worldwide vaccine market.

Won't hapen of course, but you never said guess had to have a chance.

 

Wyeth had that opportunity in the mid-nineties when they took over Lederle - huge menu of vaccines - now that division is a one trick pony as we know it. Would be interesting though to do it all over again with the AZ vaccines.

 

AZ deal will never be dead but it is on it's last breath. All things poster at 1235 said, plus the 10 billion stock buyback pretty much killed a chance at that deal. AZ is to expensive. Their stock price is starting to slip, ours is flat. One of our own investment bankers said last week that they had been in touch with AZ and the deal was basically dead. That was just before we announced Merck KGA deal. Ian and his band of merry men and women should set their sites on a small to mid size company or two. Our reputation in M&A is mud in the UK and we will face further road blocks on both sides of the pond if we try to get AZ. Ian doesn't want anymore egg on his face.

 

I don't care what happens…just get us something to sell. Looking bleak in PCP

 

If you think an acquisition will save our careers you really need to rethink it. The industry is collapsing more and more every year. The rep model is becoming less and less important as consolidations happen, access gets harder, and decisions on what can be written are being taken out of the hands of prescribers and controlled by third parties. Couple that with increasing copays (or cost sharing) for pharmaceuticals and the refusal of patients to pay a premium for branded drugs....you get the picture. How old are you? Can you see yourself doing this until you're 55, 60, 62? May be time for a reset my friend.

 

This says it all!

If you are not planning your exit plan...don't be whining when the Titanic sinks!

 

I know; can you believe companies aren't throwing themselves at our feet begging to be taken over by mighty Pfizer. Unbelievable!!!

 

Once Medicare/aid will be allowed to negotiate drug prices.....and it will happen...pharma as we know it, is done. Oncology will soon become more controlled. 1-3000 dollars a day is ridiculous and unnecessary. More and more people are opting for hospice care vs. 6 mos. of more misery while oncologists are raking in the cash.
Everything is managed care, and it should be. The US spends more money on healthcare yet is in the middle of the ranking quality of care, outcomes, etc. it's all money, money. Our exorbitant prices for drugs subsidizes the world's drug supply. A drug costs $100 in the US, $5 in Canada..and they still bitch. Look at one of your EOB 's after any medical claim; dr. Charges $ 500, but accepts 125. It's all a negotiating game, drs high ball, insurers low ball, and we are the ones stuck in the middle paying the premiums and the doctors, hospitals, etc. We all are losers in this game.
Pharma spends more on marketing than R&D, and that, as we know, is changing very quickly.

 

I made it to 62. Forty years in this great industry and I have to say that the last 10 years were the worst years of being in Pharma. The lay-offs, acquisitions, the micro- managing, HMO's, etc. etc. have turned this industry to shit. I doubt many people will be able, either on their own, or otherwise, to make it past 20 yrs with any one company.
Sadly, we did tis to ourselves with our greed, mismanagement, failing to change the model to reflect the changes in healthcare, etc.
I wish you all well, but prepare yourselves for another career before it's too late for you.

 

Actavis will be buying Pfizer in 2015