In a bid to acquire a foothold in low-cost generics, the Japanese firm paid 737 rupees a share last June, forking out a premium of 31% to the company's stock price at the time. (See Daiichi Sankyo Decides Generics Are Healthy Biz).

FORBES: Business Billionaires

In June, Express Scripts, one of the biggest managers of pharmacy benefits in the U.S., told its clients that Celebrex and Vioxx provide only a narrow benefit over ibuprofen (the branded version is Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), which, as generics, are vastly cheaper (see box).

FORBES: Magazine Article

For the generics, the motivation to get Cipro is easy to see.

FORBES: Should Bayer Cut Prices To Protect A Patent?

The losers, then, might be the other side of that see-saw, the companies that have invested most heavily in the generics: Novartis, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and Ranbaxy Laboratories.

FORBES: Supreme Court Helps Big Pharma Stay Fat And Happy In Sorrell Ruling

Such machinations may suit brand-owners and generics makers whose old enmity is fading in other ways too (see article).

ECONOMIST: Generic drugs and competition