LONDON, May 12 (Reuters) : US drugmaker Pfizer pressed the scientific case for its controversial plan to acquire AstraZeneca on Monday as its chief executive prepared for a grilling from British lawmakers.
In the latest phase of Pfizer's campaign to counter critics of its proposed $106 billion deal, research head Mikael Dolsten said he had been through five different mergers and acquisitions and denied such big transactions disrupted drug research.
"If you keep your sense of curiosity and an open mind, you can learn tremendously," he said in a video posted on the company's website.
"We must stay laser-focused on our important projects. And that's, of course, true for Pfizer scientists and AZ scientists and will be true also if we can make a potential combination come together."
British lawmakers are due to quiz Dolsten's boss, Scottish-born Chief Executive Ian Read, on May 13 about his plans to acquire Britain's second-biggest pharmaceuticals business - a deal driven in large part by Pfizer's wish to cut its tax bill.
They will also interrogate AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot and business minister Vince Cable.
A second parliamentary committee on May 14 will question both CEOs again about the science aspects of the deal, along with Pfizer's Dolsten and science minister David Willetts.
Buying AstraZeneca would be the largest foreign takeover of a British firm. Pfizer's approach has been rejected by AstraZeneca and the idea of a merger is opposed by many scientists and some politicians who fear it would damage the country's science base.
Pfizer presses AstraZeneca case as CEO faces UK grilling
FE Team | Published: May 13, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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