ViroPharma's Second Act: First a Tough One to Follow

In the year since biotech ViroPharma acquired Vancocin, it's transformed itself from a development-style biotech into an earnings-driven success. One result: a new shareholder base that likes regular profit increases and may not tolerate the lower margins that come with additional R&D spending or in-licensing costs. But with generics and other competitors on the near-term horizon, ViroPharma needs a dramatic second-act solution.