Pfizer Inc. and Merck & Co. are both expected to show the effects of increased competition from generic drugs when the two pharmaceutical bellwethers roll out their third-quarter earnings reports next week.

Drug makers Pfizer (PFE) and Wyeth (WYE) have completed their $68 billion merger.

Drug makers Pfizer (PFE) and Wyeth (WYE) have completed their $68 billion merger.

We are starting to see some elevated options trading that appeared on the unusual volume screens.  Many of these are pre-earnings trading and some are on other expectations.  We have more detailed data on each over at VSinvestor.com with links on each stock individually: OptionsHawk.com pointed out to us that there was a huge increase in [...]

Visit StreetInsider.com at http://www.streetinsider.com/news.php?st=p&id=5019998 for the full story.

Abbott Laboratories (ABT) reported third quarter earnings of 92 cents per share, 2 cents above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 90 cents. Results were above the company’s guidance of 88 – 90 cents. Earnings increased 16.5% from the year-ago period. Total revenues grew 3.5% to $7,761 million. Revenues were negatively impacted by 4.9% due to [...]

(ABT) Abbott Laboratories Outperforms & Raises

The largest deal among drug makers in the last year was completed today as Pfizer (PFE) officially merged with Wyeth (WYE).  At the close of trading on Thursday, Wyeth was delisted from the NYSE.  Pfizer has wasted no time in announcing some of its plans for what to do with its newest asset.  Cutting costs will be a top priority as the company has announced closure of Wyeth operations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.[More...]

On 10/14/09, Progenics Pharma (NASDAQ: PGNX) announced a deal with Wyeth to re-acquire all of the worldwide rights to the RELISTOR franchise after a one-year transition period. RELISTOR (subcutaneous injection) is the only drug approved to treat opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with advanced illness receiving palliative care.[More...]

Recently, Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) presented data from its phase II trial of oral NKTR-118, meant for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation. The data was presented at the American Academy of Pain Management’s 20th Annual Clinical Meeting in Phoenix, AZ. The drug met the primary endpoint of increase in spontaneous bowel movement over the baseline period [...]

(NKTR) Nektar Therapeutics Presents Favorable Phase II Trial Data

Today, Novartis (NVS) acquired exclusive worldwide rights to PTK 0796, a broad spectrum antibiotic from a privately held company, Paratek Pharmaceuticals. The drug is meant for the treatment of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multi-drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (MDRSP). PTK 0796, being a broad spectrum antibiotic, could be [...]

(NVS) Novartis Acquires Antibiotic Rights

Companies featured in this segment: Alliance Resource Partners LP (NASDAQ:ARLP), Chevron Corporation’s (NYSE:CVX), Wyeth (NYSE:WYE), Pfizer Incorporated (NYSE:PFE), Covance (NYSE:CVD), KBR Incorporated (NYSE:KBR), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), Eli Lilly & Company (NYSE:LLY), JGC Corporation (TYO:1963)

With current economic reports going from bad to worse, the North American Pharma-Biotech Industry has revealed a rare ray of economic light. The industry as a whole completed construction of 137 capital and maintenance projects carrying a total investment value (TIV) of $6.2 billion in the first six months of 2009. Join Annette Kreuger, Industrial Info's Vice President for the Pharmaceutical-Biotech Industry as part of this week's "Navigating the Currents of Change" webcast, for an in-depth discussion on the industry that touches everyone's life. Topics of discussion include what types of plants and research centers are being built and why; how the current credit markets impact the construction of new facilities; and how the new administration's stimulus programs will benefit the industry.

Companies featured in this segment: FirstEnergy Corporation (NYSE:FE), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), BP plc (NYSE:BP), Siemen AG (NYSE:SI), Chevron Corporation (Chevron) (NYSE:CVX), Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE:RDS.A), InterOil Corporation USA (NYSE:IOC), GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE:GSK), Pfizer Incorporated (NYSE:PFE), Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS), Eli Lilly & Company (NYSE:LLY), AstraZeneca plc (NYSE:AZN), Wyeth (NYSE:WYE), Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ:GENZ), Merck & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MRK), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Santos Limited (OTC:STOSY), Petronet LNG Limited (BSE:532522)

Companies featured in this segment: ArcelorMittal (NYSE:MT), OAO Mechel (NYSE:MTL), GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE:GSK), Wyeth (NYSE:WYE), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY), General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), Siemens AG (NYSE:SI), Alstom SA (EPA:ALO), Areva SA (EPA:CEI), Severstal OAO (MCX:CHMF), Toshiba Corporation (TYO:6502), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BSE:500103), Tullow Oil plc (OTC:TUWLY), Korean Electric Power Corporation (SEO:015760), Sumitomo Corporation (TYO:8053), Tokyo Electric Power Company Incorporated (TYO:9501), Alinma Bank (SAU:1150), Bank of China Limited (SHA:601988), Banque Saudi Fransi (SAU:1050), Samba Financial Group (SAU:1090), Standard Chartered plc (LSE:STAN)

Companies featured in this segment: KBR Incorporated (NYSE:KBR), Wyeth (NYSE:WYE), ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), Royal Dutch Shell Plc (NYSE:RDS.A), KBR Incorporated (NYSE:KBR), Total SA (NYSE:TOT), ConocoPhilips (NYSE:COP), Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY), RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY), E.ON AG (OTC:EONGY), France’s Electricite de France SA (EPA:EDF), GDF Suez (EPA:GSZ), Marubeni Corporation (TYO:8002), JGC Corporation (TYO:1963), Mitsui & Company Limited (TYO:8031), Scottish and Southern Energy Plc (LSE:SSE)