MRK Looking At Acquisitions to Boost Their Drug Business

According to reports from Bloomberg, Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) said in an interview they plan on making acquisitions to boost their drug business. A look at some companies that MRK could acquire based on ongoning relationships or market chatter: Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), MRK owns stake; Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARNA) alliance with MRK; Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) alliance with MRK; Orchid Cellmark Inc. (Nasdaq: ORCH) alliance with MRK; Atherogenics Inc. (Nasdaq: AGIX), BusinessWeek highlighted the stock as a takeover target for MRK; FoxHollow Technologies (Nasdaq: FOXH) agreement with MRK; DOV Pharmaceutical, Inc (Nasdaq: DOVP) agreement with MRK; Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MBRX) agreement with MRK; XOMA Ltd. (Nasdaq: XOMA) agreement with MRK; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX) agreement with MRK; Allergan Inc. (NYSE: AGN) seen as takeover target in space; Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: MLNM) seen as takeover target in space; Cephalon (Nasdaq: CEPH) seen as takeover target in space. NOTE: The relationships mentioned above are based past news releases and disclosures from either company over the past 9 months and may not be ongoing.

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