The London-based drug giant is the world's second-biggest drug company in terms of total sales, but it has had trouble delivering revenue growth and may feel it needs even more heft to compete with Pfizer after that company merges with Pharmacia (nyse: PHA - news - people ).
At the same time, generic drug manufacturer Ranbaxy posted record revenue for the last business quarter, growth fueled largely by sales of generic atorvastatin in the United States.