Generic Lipitor has been the big blockbuster that has helped Watson
and Actavis is also a generic drug company, mainly in Europe and Watson is looking for a bigger footprint there. Watson also has some of their own brand name products they market as well and they have partnered with Amgen with creating/marketing “biosimilar” drugs for cancer. Actavis also has more employees than does Watson.
One product though that has been a little controversial is the generic version of Yaz. BD
Watson Pharma Gets FDA Approval for Generic Version of Contraceptive Yaz–A Drug That Has Suffered Recalls & Other Issues
Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. (WPI) agreed to acquire Swiss rival
Actavis in a widely expected deal potentially valued at roughly EUR4.5 billion ($5.94 billion), which will give the U.S.-based group a boost in the global rankings of generic drug makers to No. 3.
Watson has received a bump from sales of no-name drugs like the generic version of Pfizer Inc.'s (PFE) blockbuster anticholesterol drug Lipitor. But like a lot of generic drug makers, Watson has been trying to diversify ahead of the anticipated dropoff in branded drug patent expirations over the next few years.
Actavis was taken private in 2007 by the private-equity firm Novator in a roughly $5 billion deal. Actavis then went on an acquisition spree, snapping up generic-drug companies all over the world and building a big debt load in the process. But that gave the company a strong presence in fast-growing emerging markets such as Eastern Europe, which could help explain Watson's interest in doing the deal.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120425-723706.html
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