VOA标准英语2009年-Drugmaker Merck to Buy Rival Schering-Plough fo

U.S. pharmaceutical¹ giant Merck announced on Monday that it plans to acquire rival company Schering-Plough in a deal worth $41.1 billion. This could help Merck expand its market overseas at a critical time for mega pharmaceutical companies.
　
Merck & Co. headquarters is seen in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey² (File)

The New Jersey-based drug companies announced they will combine under Merck's name in a deal financed through cash and stock. Under the agreement, Schering-Plough shareholders³ will receive $10.50 in cash and a little more than half a Merck share for each of their existing shares.

Merck Chief Executive Officer Richard Clark, who will lead the new company, says shareholders will benefit from its more efficient operating structure and expanded research.

"The combined strength of Merck and Schering-Plough will create a company that can deliver consistent, sustainable growth and meaningful value for shareholders," he said.

The merger⁴ comes six weeks after Pfizer, the world's largest drug maker⁵, acquired rival Wyeth for $68 billion. Both Merck and Pfizer are facing the expiration⁶ of patents on several of their best-selling drugs and seek to diversify⁷ their portfolios⁸.

Schering-Plough generates 70 percent of its sales outside of the United States, including more than $2 billion a year from emerging markets. Clark says the merger will accelerate Merck's effort to develop its presence abroad. With the merger, Clark says more than 50 percent of their combined revenue will be generated overseas.

Chairman of Schering-Plough, Fred Hassan, says the merger will help both companies during the economic downturn.

"The stunning⁹ and accelerating changes in the global macro environment are driving stunning and accelerating changes in our own industry's environment," he said. "Our board concluded that this was the right transaction at the right time."

Yet analysts¹⁰ say the Merk and Pfizer mergers¹¹ may signal a broader shift among pharmaceutical companies to protect themselves from a harsher economic climate and the increasing competitiveness of generic¹² drugs.

Professor at the University of North Carolina Pharmacy¹³ School Fred Eckel says while Merck will reduce its overall cost of operation, it does not mean it will instantly come out with new top-selling drugs to replace its old ones.

"If you look at the number of new drug entities¹⁴ put on the market, there's been a significant decline in the last 10 years," he said. "And clearly the so-called blockbuster drugs, those that have broad appeal to chronic¹⁵ diseases that affect many patients, have not been there."

Merck says it will eventually cut about 15 percent of its workforce¹⁶ and expects the merger will save it some $3.5 billion annually¹⁷ after 2011.

1 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

2 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

3 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任

4 merger   

n.企业合并，并吞

参考例句：

• Acceptance of the offer is the first step to a merger.对这项提议的赞同是合并的第一步。
• Shareholders will be voting on the merger of the companies.股东们将投票表决公司合并问题。

5 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

6 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。

7 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

8 portfolios   

n.投资组合( portfolio的名词复数 )；（保险）业务量；（公司或机构提供的）系列产品；纸夹

参考例句：

• Price risk arises in non-trading portfolios, as well as in trading portfolios. 价格风险中出现的非贸易投资，以及在贸易投资组合。 来自互联网
• How do we fatten our portfolios and stay financially healthy? 我们怎样育肥我们的投资结构和维持财政健康呢？ 来自互联网

9 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 mergers   

n.（两个公司的）合并( merger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Mergers fall into three categories: horizontal, vertical, and conglomerate. 合并分为以下三种：横向合并，纵向合并和混合合并。 来自辞典例句
• Many recent mergers are concentrated within specific industries, particularly in retailing, airlines and communications. 现代许多合并企业集中进行某些特定业务，在零售业、民航和通讯业中更是如此。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

12 generic   

adj.一般的，普通的，共有的

参考例句：

• I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服，不买名牌。
• The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。

13 pharmacy   

n.药房，药剂学，制药业，配药业，一批备用药品

参考例句：

• She works at the pharmacy.她在药房工作。
• Modern pharmacy has solved the problem of sleeplessness.现代制药学已经解决了失眠问题。

14 entities   

实体对像； 实体，独立存在体，实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

15 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

16 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

17 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。