Who next in antibiotic M&A gold rush?
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Shares in companies engaged in antibiotic development basked in the reflected glow of Merck & Co's just announced $9.5bn takeout deal for Cubist Pharmaceuticals (scripintelligence.com, 9 December 2014). This acquisition follows hot on the heels of Actavis's $675-820m purchase agreement for fellow antibiotics player Durata Therapeutics (scripintelligence.com, 7 October 2014), and is only the most ostentatious example of a deal-making trend that has been gathering pace over the past year or so.