Allergan was expected to announce soon that it would follow its shareholders' advice and split the company in two, but it's being acquired by AbbVie for $63bn instead, finally giving investors a big boost in their Allergan holdings after years of decline.

Allergan’s net product revenue in the third quarter fell slightly below analyst consensus, but revenue from the company’s 2015 purchase of Botox, Restasis and other products softened declines for established products Namenda and Asacol.

Improving gender balance in top pharma is a slow process, but not a gradual one. Management shake-ups often implemented by newly appointed CEOs could help.

Allergan will pay a huge premium – up to $1.7bn in a milestone-heavy deal – for Tobira and $50m up front for the preclinical startup Akarna to expand its gastrointestinal franchise into the potentially lucrative NASH market.