Pharma BD Deal Intelligence

Pfizer Inc. / Pharmacia Corporation

2002 · Acquisition/Merger · $60.0B · Complete

The Street Said

Strongly positive — critic reaction at announcement

History Says

Largely worked — most objectives met

CALLED IT — OFF BY 8

Bextra withdrawal and Celebrex safety concerns undermined $60B mega-merger thesis

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Top 10 largest deals of the 2000s

Ranks computed across 828 graded deals (Critic + Outcome Score both present).

The coverage arc

Jul 15, 2002 The New York Times Bullish

Pfizer, already the world's largest drug maker, agreed yesterday to acquire the Pharmacia Corporation for about $60 billion in stock, a deal that would create…

Aug 15, 2002 Healio Neutral

Pfizer and Pharmacia announced their intention to combine operations in a significant pharmaceutical industry consolidation valued at $60 billion.

Source summaries from our enrichment pipeline; follow links for originals.

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Pfizer acquired Pharmacia Corporation for approximately $60 billion in an all-stock transaction, gaining blockbuster drugs Celebrex and Bextra along with a strong oncology pipeline including Camptosar, creating the world's largest pharmaceutical company at the time.

Key facts

Announced Jul 15, 2002
Closed Apr 16, 2003
Deal value $60.0B
Deal type Acquisition/Merger
Therapeutic area Immunology, Neurology, Oncology, Ophthalmology
Indications Arthritis, Pain, Colorectal cancer, Glaucoma, Overactive bladder, Growth disorders
Key assets Celebrex (celecoxib), Bextra (valdecoxib), Camptosar (irinotecan), Xalatan (latanoprost), Detrol (tolterodine), Genotropin (somatropin), Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone), Monsanto agricultural chemicals business (spun off prior)
Mechanism COX-2 selective inhibitor, Topoisomerase I inhibitor, Prostaglandin F2-alpha analog, Muscarinic receptor antagonist

Related deals — scored

Deal	Year	Value	Outcome
Pfizer Inc. / Pharmacia Corporation (this deal)	2002	$60.0B	67
Pfizer Inc. / BioNTech SE	2020	$748M	100
Pfizer Inc. / FoldRx Pharmaceuticals	2010	—	99
Pfizer Inc. / Medivation Inc.	2016	$14.0B	86
Pfizer Inc. / Wyeth	2009	$68.0B	86
Pfizer Inc. / Warner-Lambert Company	2000	$90.0B	83
Pfizer Inc. / Arvinas, Inc.	2021	$2.4B	77

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