Release issued 9th November 2005

YORK, UK, 9 November 2005 -- Based on its extensive database of deals and financing information, Pharmalicensing has created a summary overview of deals data from 2004 for 50 of the world's top pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

The Top 50 Deals Briefing covers the whole of 2004, and is a concise rundown of the number of announced deals, the highest announced deal value and the most active deal stages and therapeutic areas for each of the top 50 companies, and includes the changes in levels of dealmaking between 2003 and 2004. The Partneringdesk team has collected details on around 17,000 deals from January 2000 to the present day.

The Top 50 Deals Briefing is available free from www.partneringdesk.com. Last year, 2004, was a busy year for dealmaking. Within the top 50 companies, the most active therapeutic areas were autoimmune/inflammatory disease and central nervous system disorders. Of the top 10 companies, six made most of their deals at the discovery stage, and four at launch/marketed stage, at the two ends of the development process. Pfizer announced 29 deals in 2004, with a highest (known) value deal of US$1.3 billion. Sanofi-Aventis, formed through a merger in 2004, announced 30 deals in 2004; a decrease of seven announced deals from the previous year. Roche announced 35 deals in 2004; the highest number of announced deals of all the top 50 companies.

"Over the last twelve months, the deals team at Pharmalicensing has been working hard to compile its extensive database of deals information, containing around 17,000 records and growing each day. The Top 50 Deals Briefing demonstrates the wealth of data that the team has assembled," said Suzanne Elvidge, Head of Publishing at Bridgehead International.

For a more comprehensive review of the deals and alliances announced by the top 50 pharmaceutical companies between January 2000 and July 2005, the Partneringdesk team has created a series of 50 complete Deals Briefings. Each briefing focuses on an individual company to provide a detailed report, and includes a company profile, financial data and deals overview, and a summary and list of deals. Every deal entry includes financial information where disclosed, such as headline values and upfront payments. The reports are designed to help companies to identify active partners, track competitor activity, benchmark deals and compare the finances of different deal types.

To download the free Top 50 Deals Briefing, go to www.partneringdesk.com

For more information on the full length Deals Briefings or other products from Pharmalicensing, contact the Partneringdesk team on +44 1904 520460 or email: partneringdesk@pharmalicensing.com.

Pharmalicensing, based in York, UK, is the world's number one partnering resource for the biopharmaceutical industry. Pharmalicensing provides pharmaceutical companies with a wide-ranging forum to exchange partnering wants and needs with a global audience.

Bridgehead International is a leading biopharmaceutical consultancy group, offering a range of services designed to assist clients in achieving extraordinary growth across the product and technology value chain, through three divisions: Bridgehead Consulting; Healthcare Education Services; and Pharmalicensing.

Contact: Suzanne Elvidge, Head of Publishing (suzanne.elvidge@bridgehead.com; Tel +44 1904 520464)

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