Serono's Dealmaking Roll continues

Serono's licensing of the exclusive rights to market Genentech Inc.'s Phase III psoriasis drug, Raptiva, outside of the US, Japan, and certain Asian countries, went far to quell rumblings within the investment community that the Swiss-based biotech needed to beef up its late-stage pipeline. The agreement also comes amidst a flurry of dealmaking which sends a clear message that the company's management is willing to act aggressively to fill in gaps in all aspects of the business from discovery to product development to commercialization.