The recent announcement of pharma’s latest mega-merger has not been received well by many people, except perhaps Allergan Shareholders. The deal has been highlighted as another defensive mega-merger to protect against patent expiry.

In light of this the Financial Times asked John Rountree for his views on the deal:

“Continuing to boost top-line growth when patents are expiring on key drugs is very difficult to achieve . . . but it will not stop companies from trying, it is a dynamic that means the merits of such megadeals do not always receive adequate scrutiny.”

Pharma M&A is a topic we have discussed frequently and how greater value can be found partnering and strategic collaborations.