Market rumors have it that AstraZeneca may be looking to acquire Cubist Pharmaceuticals and its Cubicin antibiotic for the treatment of MRSA. Cubicin had sales in excess of $600 M in the US in 2010 and many analysts project it will become a blockbuster with sales breaching the $1 billion mark. Couple the revenue, with Cubist's settlement of a patent dispute with Teva last month, which lessens the near term chance of generic competition, and you have an attractive acquisition candidate.
AZ may be that buyer -- it already has rights to sell Cubicin in China -- but Teva and J&J are also rumored to be considering this buy. See Fierce Biotech.
Posted by Bruce Lehr May 20th 2011.
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