Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc (IPIX)

[slcimmuno]

Merck dumps 120 Cubist researchers after its $9.5B merger

Maybe Leo is/soon will be hiring some more ABX experts

http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/merck-dumps-120-cubist-researchers-after-its-95b-merger/2015-03-05

EXCERPT

Merck's bet on Cubist followed a trend among the world's largest drugmakers, whose history of inattention to antibiotic R&D is in part responsible for the current increase in demand--and market opportunity--for anti-infectives.

The big get was Cubist's anchor product, the blockbuster Cubicin, which pulls in roughly $1 billion a year. In the deal, Merck also inherited the recently launched Zerbaxa, a combination treatment designed to fight complicated urinary tract and intra-abdominal infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria. And last year Cubist won approval for Sivextro, a superbug treatment it picked up in its $707 million acquisition for Trius Therapeutics. Thanks to Cubist, Merck's antibiotics pipeline now includes treatments for hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia, Clostridium difficile infection and opioid-induced constipation.