Pharma Roundup: Daiichi's Ranbaxy Write-Down, Merck's UPS Deal, and More

(MoneyWatch)  Daiichi Sankyo to take $4 billion write-down on Ranbaxy -- Indian generics maker Ranbaxy was supposed to be a jewel in Daiichi's crown, but the Japanese company has revealed it will lose billions of dollars on the acquisition, a deal finished last fall. [Source: WSJ Health Blog]

Merck contracts distribution facilities to UPS -- Merck has made a deal with UPS in which the parcel company will take over two of the drug maker's major distribution centers. The centers are not identified but they reportedly move "a majority" of Merck's drug and vaccine products. Globally, UPS manages 3.5 million square feet of health care distribution space. [Source: Pharma's Market]

Taro rebuffs Sun -- Sun Pharma continues to make offers for Taro Pharmaceutical Industries, a generics manufacturer in which it already holds a 36 percent stake. Taro remains uninterested, but Sun claims Taro's financial situation is more perilous than it claims -- Taro recently slashed its R&D budget, for instance. [Source: FiercePharma]

Smallest increase in national prescription sales in decades -- A government report released this week says U.S. prescription drug spending grew just 4.9 percent in 2007, sharply less than the previous year's 8.6 percent and lower than any comparable figure from the last 40 years. [Source: PharmaTimes]