Replies to post #3680 on Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc fka ARIA

[biotech_researcher]

If Merck can believe in the pre-clinical '113 ALK data, they will not let Ariad get away..

[lax20m]

Im really interested to see how things develop with respect the two companies ongoing relationship. Do you think there has been any discussion between ariad and merck about a buy out. I still think that Harvey would not be happy with being bought out. Given that, Merck might not want to jeapordize its relationship with ARIAD by making an offer for it. Can you invision a strategy that Merck tries to get a partnership with ARIAD on Pona and then once that partnership is secure then Merck proceeds with a offer to buy out ARIAD? Just curious about anyone's thoughts. I would speculate that Merck's bigger concern is making sure no one beats them out for the rights to Pona and their secondary concern would be gaining compete ownership or ARIAD.

[DewDiligence]

MRK did not have a drug failure today; rather, ODAC rejected a label expansion to a MRK drug, Proscar, that is already off-patent (#msg-57282565).