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By LINDA A. JOHNSON , Associated Press TRENTON, N.J. - Profits posted Wednesday by Pfizer Inc. and Wyeth show a common theme among pharmaceutical companies — nearly all the growth they're seeing these days is overseas, driven by emerging markets and the weak dollar. U.K.-based GlaxoSmithKline PLC, which also reported on its second-quarter earnings Wednesday, likewise is targeting emerging markets. Like most of the industry, the companies are trying to stave off growing competition from cheaper generics, which is being magnified by government and other payers seeking to hold down health spending. It's been much the same at other major drug makers issuing quarterly reports the last two weeks. Favorable currency exchange rates boosted revenue by 5 percent for Merck & Co. and by 7.6 percent for Schering-Plough Corp. Schering also... [read full story]
