Pfizer's CEO, Jeffrey Kindler, told the Financial Times that it is willing to buy a competitor in order to grow revenue. Analyst, however, said that merger is just speculation

William Burns, Roche’s head of pharmaceuticals, said in a conference in London that direct-to-consumer promotion was the single worst decision for the industry, because undermines the reputation of the sector. Further details.

At a meeting with analysts in New York, Amgen management said they expect two drugs, Sensipar and denosumab, to reach blockbuster status within five year. The meeting was the company’s first major business review since January 2006.

French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis announced the appointment of GlaxoSmithKline executive Chris Viehbacher as its new CEO, replacing former research head Gerard Le Fur, who will continue to work in scientific areas within the group.

Swiss biotech Actelion´s CEO, Jean-Paul Clozel, is upbeat on several fronts: its recent licensing deal with GlaxoSmithKline Plc and the coming Phase III trials with its drug Tracleer for use in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). If approved, it “means doubling Tracleer sales,” he said in an interview with Reuters.

Slovenian generic drugs company Krka may take over a larger company, CEO Joze Colaric told Slovene daily Dnevnik, paying up to $ 2.33 billion dollars. Further details.

Pfizer Inc´s CEO, Jeffrey Kindler, gave an update on the company´s pipeline and R&D products at a meeting with market analysts. Exclusive details.

CEO Andrew Witty may consider spinning off early-stage drugs that do not fall into Glaxo’s core focus areas into a separate company

In a move to boost sales in the increasingly taxing pharma business, Chief Executive Andrew Witty told The Wall Street Journal Glaxo is taking an unconventional step: the drugmaker will give government healthcare systems a say in deciding which drugs should make it to late stage development

Roche’s new CEO Severin Schwan sees the pharma giant shift its focus to new therapies for primary care to be used by general practitioners to fight chronic diseases such as diabetes. In an interview with the Financial Times, Schwan stated the company will not diversify into generics or consumer-health businesses

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) CEO William Weldon stated that although currently the company is committed to research of new medicines, it does not rule out going into the generic business, noting big opportunities “in the future.”

MedImmune CEO plans to leave at the end of July, one year after selling the biotech firm to AstraZeneca in a $15.6 billion deal. According to AstraZeneca, Mott steps down for personal reasons

Founder of Canada´s beleaguered Biovail Corp Eugene Melnyk plans to start a new drug company if his attempt to replace Biovail's board of directors fails. Given that in yesterday´s shareholders meeting, Melnyk´s proposed slate of directors was rejected, Melnyk is also threatening a court challenge.

Contenders for Canadian drugmaker Biovail´s highest executive positions continue to spar – current CEO Bill Wells has released a “fight letter” in order to dispute company´s founder and majority-shareholder Eugene Melnyk´s strategy to replace the full board of directors in the June 25th meeting, when shareholders will be choosing between the two boards proposed. Further details.

Canada´s Biovail Corp is in a tug-of-war that may be defined before the end of the month, when shareholders vote for an almost totally renovated board of directors, choosing between former founder and biggest shareholder Eugene Melnyk´s list and Biovail´s 10-member proposal. The company has been going through several legal issues, from a U.S. Securities Commission investigation into fraudulent accounting to a lawsuit filed by Melnyk himself against the company. Further details.

U.S. eye-care company Bausch & Lomb, bought by private equity firm Warburg Pincus last October, has a long-term growth plan and won't return to the public market any time soon, said CEO Gerry Ostrov.