Further mergers and acquisitions are likely between major pharmaceutical companies, according to the securities department of German merchant bank Commerzbank.
In a report entitled "Global consolidation", Commerzbank says that the pharmaceuticals market remains fragmented despite a number of recent mergers. Novartis, itself the product of merger between Ciba Geigy and Sandoz, is seen as being the company most likely to make a deal in the near future. Novartis was recently listed on the US stock market. American Home Products is cited as being "the object of its affection". AHP has twice been unsuccessful in completing mergers in the past five years.