Merck Declined Friday -- On News Of Pending EU Approvals For Generic/"Biosimilar" Versions Of Infliximab

As many here well-know, J&J and Merck -- via the (pre bust up transaction) joint venture with legacy Schering-Plough -- used to jointly sell Remicade^® and Simponi^® -- in various geographies around the globe. Yesterday, the EMEA recommended approved the first "biosimilars" ever -- and these "sort of genericized" versions of Remicade (Infliximab) clearly mean that Merck's share of royalties in Europe on the branded version of infliximab will decline.

That is so, because Merck's biggest retained geography, after the settlement of the 2010 arbitration proceedings is Europe -- right where these first approvals were just granted.

Thus the Friday decline of Merck's common stock, on the NYSE.