Pfizer | featured news

A stroke-preventing pill from Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb won approval from U.S. health regulators, setting the stage for a fierce fight among drug makers to replace the widely used bloodthinner warfarin.

Pfizer hopes to have an over-the-counter version of the world’s best-selling drug after it loses patent protection.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. says revenue in the third quarter jumped 39 percent due to its acquisition of fellow drugmaker Wyeth, but hefty charges dragged its profit down 70 percent.

Pfizer Inc, the world's biggest drugmaker, has agreed to buy King Pharmaceuticals Inc for $3.6 billion, expanding its presence in the market for pain drugs.

The first pill designed to boost the female sex drive failed to make a significant impact on libido in two studies, federal health regulators said, though some women did report slightly more sexually satisfying experiences.

Drugmaker Pfizer will cut 6,000, or 18 percent, of jobs at its 78 manufacturing plants over the next five years as it consolidates operations after  last year's purchase of  Wyeth.

Cost-cutting at drug maker Pfizer helps it to increase third-quarter profits despite falling sales of its medicines.

Pfizer Inc.'s $68 billion purchase of Wyeth will close Thursday after antitrust regulators in the U.S. and Canada cleared the deal, which will make Pfizer the world's largest drugmaker by revenue.

Pfizer Inc. is unveiling a new program Thursday that will let people who have lost their jobs and health insurance keep taking some widely prescribed Pfizer medications - including Lipitor and Viagra - for free for up to a year.

Pfizer also said it would cut more than 8000 jobs to cut costs in anticipation of cholesterol drug Lipitor losing patent protection in 2011.