Burdened by the recent acquisition of Serono, Merck KGaA is considering selling its generic-drug division, a deal that could bring the German firm more than $5 billion, according to a published report Thursday.
According to German newspaper Handelsblatt, Merck may sell its generic unit for $5.3 billion. The sale could help it focus on innovative drugs and also slash its debt burden after buying biotech Serono, the report said.
Merck's generic unit had 2005 operating profit of 238 million euros on sales of 1.8 billion euros and is the leading supplier in Australia, France and Scandinavia. Its top products were DuoNeb, an inhaler used in treating asthma and chronic bronchitis, and EpiPen, an injector for use in allergic reactions.
Subscribe via RSS
