Roche recasts itself as a Big Biotech

Think Roche is a Big Pharma company? Think again. From now on, Roche--which just completed a buyout of Genentech--is a Big Biotech company. And to help signal the switch Roche is dropping out of PhRMA and is taking up Genentech's top position in BIO. "Genentech and Roche believe BIO's purpose is closely aligned with the direction of the new company and, therefore, can represent the company's interest in Washington,'' spokeswoman Darian Wilson said. The switch came despite an 11th-hour appeal by PhRMA, which sent AstraZeneca CEO David Brennan to discuss the matter directly with Roche CEO Severin Schwann. Report