To the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain and arthritis, Vioxx seemed like a miracle. One of the most widely promoted and prescribed pain medications in the world -- used by more than twenty million people -- it was endorsed by the medical establishment and celebrities such as Olympic champion figure skater Dorothy Hamill. With annual sales of $2.5 billion, Vioxx became a pharmaceutical bonanza before being abruptly taken off the market in September 2004, after it was revealed that it led to an increased risk of heart-related disease and death. Drawing on internal documents, video footage, court testimony, and exclusive interviews, as well as three decades of experience inside the medical industry, Tom Nesi tells the dramatic story of what the drug's manufacturer, Merck, knew and when. It is a compelling narrative of business and medical science run amok, with a cast of characters ranging from those at the highest levels of the multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry to research scientists, marketers, and drug company sales reps. Here also are accounts from physicians, lawyers, financial analysts, and patients and their families whose lives have been forever altered by Vioxx. Set against a fascinating history of the origins of the modern pharmaceutical industry, POISON PILLS is a shocking tale that involves the breakdown of the United States medical system, the failures of the Food and Drug Administration, and enormous profits made by a large pharmaceutical corporation at the potential cost of thousands of lives.

Caught in a war that pits greed and ambition against conscience and love, Emma Conway faces the fight of her life-to save her family, her company, and everything she treasures. Emma is finally living the dream-a happy second marriage and a great career. She has built Percival & Baxter's painkiller, Acordinol, into a huge success. But her dream becomes a nightmare when a Wall Street raider threatens a hostile takeover. Worse, the raider is no ordinary cutthroat but her ex-husband Josh Katz, father of their teenage son. P&B's Poison Pill defense implodes when a mysteriously tainted batch of Acordinol starts killing people, including P&B's CEO. Emma is put in charge as P&B's stock plummets. Her ex's game traps her in a web of secrets locked within secrets. A shadowy Russian oligarch behind Josh is lusting after the holy grail of drugs, the first Viagra for women. And a clandestine romance between Emma's son and the oligarch's estranged daughter puts them in the crosshairs of their parents' mortal combat. New York Times bestselling author Glenn Kaplan looks inside the heart of today's business world to create page-turning suspense in a powerful tale of a woman who leans into success-and discovers deadly peril. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Modern restructuring techniques for a global business landscape Corporate restructurings are an indispensable tool in building a new generation of re-engineered companies with the power and resources to compete on a global playing field. Written from a practical and historical perspective, Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Restructurings, Fourth Edition carefully analyzes the strategies and motives that inspire M&As, the laws and rules that govern the field, as well as the offensive and defensive techniques of hostile acquisitions. In this thoroughly revised Fourth Edition, author and business valuation expert Patrick Gaughan provides a fresh perspective on M&As in today's global business landscape, and how your company can reap the benefits from the various forms of restructurings available. Packed with the most up-to-date research, graphs, and case studies, Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Restructurings, Fourth Edition explores: * Recent takeover trends including the role of private equity firms and hedge funds * Most effective offensive and defensive tactics in hostile bids * A review of the effect of shareholder wealth on a variety of takeover actions * Modern, historical, and global perspectives on the field * The various forms of downsizing including divestitures, spinoffs, and equity carve-outs * Bankruptcy as an effective restructuring technique * Latest developments in corporate governance * Pros and cons of joint ventures and strategic alliances * Primary methods used to value public and private companies

It's the drug of the century, a miracle weight loss compound worth billions, invented by Jon Vickers shortly before his death. So why is Jon's brother Benedict risking his inheritance, his brother's legacy, and even his own life to keep the drug from the market? And why is Olga Mueller, a jaded lawyer Benedict met by chance while traveling to Istanbul, willing to help? Can they take on a powerful venture capitalist and a ruthless top-tier law firm and win? Or even survive? In a world where money rules, does truth stand a chance?

A comprehensive guide to the world of mergers and acquisitions Why do so many M&A transactions fail? And what drives the success of those deals that are consummated? Robert Bruner explains that M&A can be understood as a response by managers to forces of turbulence in their environment. Despite the material failure rates of mergers and acquisitions, those pulling the trigger on key strategic decisions can make them work if they spend great care and rigor in the development of their M&A deals. By addressing the key factors of M&A success and failure, Applied Mergers and Acquisitions can help readers do this. Written by one of the foremost thinkers and educators in the field, this invaluable resource teaches readers the art and science of M&A valuation, deal negotiation, and bargaining, and provides a framework for considering tradeoffs in an effort to optimize the value of any M&A deal.

Mergers and Acquisitions Basics: All You Need to Know provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of mergers and acquisitions. Key concepts discussed include M&As as change agents in the context of corporate restructuring; legal structures and strategies employed in corporate restructuring; takeover strategies and the impact on corporate governance; takeover defenses; and players who make mergers and acquisitions happen. The book also covers developing a business plan and the tools used to evaluate, display, and communicate information to key constituencies both inside and outside the corporation; the acquisition planning process; the negotiation, integration planning, and closing phases; financing transactions; and M&A post-merger integration.This book is written for buyers and sellers of businesses, financial analysts, chief executive officers, chief financial officers, operating managers, investment bankers, and portfolio managers. Others who may have an interest include bank lending officers, venture capitalists, government regulators, human resource managers, entrepreneurs, and board members. The book may also be used as a companion or supplemental text for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, business strategy, management, governance, and entrepreneurship. - Describes a broad view of the mergers and acquisition process to illustrate agents' interactions - Simplifies without overgeneralizing - Bases conclusions on empirical evidence, not experience and opinion - Features a recent business case at the end of each chapter