Report: Sanofi-Aventis inks preliminary deal for BMS

A French newspaper is reporting that Sanofi-Aventis has signed a pre-merger pact with the troubled Bristol-Myers Squibb. Aside from the bragging rights associated with creating the world's biggest pharma company--ranked by sales--it would join two companies that already share marketing rights for the blood-thinner Plavix as well as the hypertension drug Avapro. But some analysts say that any pact would hinge on a successful conclusion to the litigation over a generic competitor for Plavix, which accounts for a big chunk of BMS's revenue and its market value. Sanofi has a market capitalization of $123 billion, more than twice that of BMS. Buying its U.S. marketing partner would give the French company greater direct access to the critical North American market.

- read the report on the deal from USA Today

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