NEW JERSEY, July 15, 2002: Wow.

I guess you could say, "we should have seen it coming..."

At the time of this writing, Pfizer and Pharmacia have apparently created the world's largest pharmaceutical firm, in a reported $60 billion deal.

Now, besides Celebrex, which Pfizer has been copromoting with Pharmacia, reps for these two giants will share the marketing of Viagra, Lipitor, and Zoloft and other megabrands.

According to early news reports in the Wall Street Journal, Pfizer's Hank McKinnel will lead the new organization, and Pharmacia's Fred Hassan will be second in command.

So what will the new entity be called? Pharmizer? Sounds wrong. Pfizercia? Nope. Unlike when Sandoz merged with Ciba Geigy and was renamed Novartis, in this particular Rx "marriage," we think that the name Pfizer will remain, and Pharmacia will be jettisoned.

And the merger looks good on paper: the two companies don't have any major conflicts in terms of brands, except possibly Detrol and an experimental agent, so any divestiture would likely go very smoothly.

We wish Mr. McKinnel and Mr. Hassan all the best for the future of their new company and for the patients who will benefit from the combined strengths of these two pharmaceutical firms.

The only question is: who's next? Novartis and Roche? Bristol-Myers and...?

Stay tuned.

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