The Mail reports that GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) and Shire ($SHPG) are both circling Ariad at a distance, waiting to see whether Lilly moves in for a deal. Whether this supposed buyer interest is serious remains to be seen; the talk could simply stem from the fact that Ariad is a lot cheaper now that it would have been last fall, when its stock was trading above $18.
Ariad Pharmaceuticals ($ARIA) just relaunched its leukemia drug Iclusig last week, but already buyout rumors are buzzing. The U.S.-based biotech saw its shares jump this morning on reports that Eli Lilly ($LLY) is leading a field of several potential buyers.
M&A buzz is just that, and in this case, it's a bit odd, given that Ariad has been suffering since safety questions sidelined Iclusig. Even more odd is the fact that London's Daily Mail says its sources suggest a price of up to $20 per share,
