Drugmakers Actavis Inc. and Warner Chilcott PLC said Friday that they in early talks about a possible combination of the two companies. Both say there is no agreement on a deal yet.
Shares of both companies soared in Friday trading.
Actavis was formed in October through a $5.6 billion combination of Watson Pharmaceuticals of New Jersey and Actavis of Switzerland. It is one of the world's biggest generic drug companies. It sells versions of the deep vein thrombosis treatment Lovenox, asthma medication Xopenex, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs Adderall XR and Concerta, heart drug Toprol XL, cholesterol fighter Lipitor, contraceptive Generess FE, and pain drug Kadian among many other products.