Power vacuum, Alzheimer's trials fuelling Biogen takeover rumours

Washington

ON July 21, as Biogen chief executive officer George Scangos announced he would step down, he floated the idea that his company might buy rivals to cement its place near the top of the booming field of biotechnology. Today, Biogen looks more like prey than predator.

Conjecture that the company, a frequent target of rumours in the mergers and acquisitions world, may be acquired increased following a Wall Street Journal report that Merck & Co and Allergan have each considered a takeover. Shares of Biogen spiked in New York on Tuesday, though the Journal said that the talks were informal and preliminary. All three companies declined to comment.