Daiichi Sankyo’s edoxaban, the latest in a new group of blood thinners aimed at replacing warfarin, was found to be as effective as the drug that has been the standard of care for 60 years, in a study

Daiichi Sankyo Blood Thinner Works as Well as Standard

Daiichi Sankyo Co. (4568)’s edoxaban, the latest in a new group of blood thinners aimed at replacing warfarin, was found to be as effective as the drug that has been the standard of care for 60 years, in a study. Research presented today at the meeting of the American Heart Association in Dallas showed edoxaban was as good as warfarin at preventing embolisms and strokes in patients with abnormal heart rhythms. It was also found to be safer, with fewer incidents of serious bleeding. Read more of this post

Leaderless Teva Seen Beckoning Mylan Merger: Real M&A

Leaderless Teva Seen Beckoning Mylan Merger: Real M&A

As Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) attempts to revitalize one of this year’s worst-performing drug stocks, a remedy may come in the form of a deal. If the $32 billion company can’t restore value on its own and doesn’t find a new chief executive officer soon, a merger with fellow generic-drug makers Mylan Inc. (MYL) or Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. (VRX) will become increasingly likely, Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. said. Petach Tikva, Israel-based Teva may even become vulnerable to an activist investor, said Matrix Asset Advisors Inc. Read more of this post

Merck unlikely to undertake large-scale consumer health buys

November 19, 2013 12:51 pm

Merck unlikely to undertake large-scale consumer health buys

By Andrew Jack

Merck of Germany is unlikely to undertake a large-scale acquisition in consumer health in the coming months, while being open to deals in “single-digit billions” across its other three divisions. In remarks following the group’s third-quarter results last week, Matthias Zachert, chief financial officer, appeared to rule out his company as a potential purchaser ifNovartis  put its consumer health division up for sale in the coming months. He said that after significant restructuring leading to rising margins and a reduction in debt, Merck was “now open again to acquisitions” over the next two years, while stressing that they would be “targeted and focused” and “not in the double-digit billions”. He said deals were possible in its pharmaceuticals, performance materials and life science tools divisions, but that Novartis’s consumer health division was much larger than that of Merck, and multiples in the niche meant “it is not the right time for deals of global transformational scale”. Smaller acquisitions of individual products globally or in some countries were more likely, he said.

Berkshire-Invested Verisk Promotes Hays to Run Health Unit After Sales Slump

Verisk Promotes Hays to Run Health Unit After Sales Slump

Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK), the supplier of actuarial and risk data to banks and insurers, promoted Nadine Hays to lead the health unit after a slump in sales. Hays was named president of the business, which has 1,850 employees and focuses on clinical risk-assessment technologies and data, the Jersey City, New Jersey-based company said today in a statement. She replaces Joel Portice, who is leaving to “pursue other interests” and will report to Verisk Chief Executive Officer Scott Stephenson, according to the statement. Read more of this post