Exclusive: Merck explores $15 billion-plus drug portfolio sale – sources

By Soyoung Kim, Olivia Oran and Sophie Sassard NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Merck & Co Inc is considering selling a big portfolio of mature drugs that could fetch more than $15 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, as the U.S. drugmaker continues to streamline businesses to focus on high-growth areas. Merck, which is also in the process of selling its $14 billion consumer healthcare unit, is working with an investment bank on the potential sale of the off-patent drugs, which could draw interest from generic drugmakers, the people said. Merck's off-patent drugs are called "diversified brands" and many are sold in emerging markets. The sale processes underscore efforts by large drugmakers to shed smaller divisions they view as non-core so they can better focus on their mainstay products.