1. Pink Sheet

Novartis Bets Big on Meningitis:Wall Street Awaits Blockbuster Vaccine Franchise

 
• By Cole Werble

Two years after shaking up the vaccine field with its big entry-acquisition of Chiron, Novartis AG has identified a make-or-break pair of projects in the meningitis area. The meningitis vaccines will determine whether the Novartis bet on vaccines will turn into a smart long-term diversification or a low-return move into an unfamiliar and unfriendly segment of health care.

In April 2006, Novartis AG laid out an astounding amount for Chiron’s vaccine business: $5.7 billion, a price tag equal to more than 50% of the entire global vaccine market at the time. And it wasn’t even a particularly healthy company; Chiron’s vaccines had also-ran positions in the US (ranked 4th at the time of the purchase) and Europe (ranked 3rd).

Novartis didn’t stop there

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