DRUG FIRM SERONO MAY GO ON BLOCK

Swiss drug firm Serono is putting out feelers for potential buyers, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The Geneva, Switzerland-based company is perusing possible suitors for a buyout or merger through investment bank Goldman Sachs Group, the report said. Given Serono's status as the world's third-largest biotechnology firm, the field of contenders that could afford the purchase is limited to drug giants like Swiss firm Novartis -- which recently bought all of vaccine maker Chiron's outstanding shares for $5 billion -- and New York-based Pfizer, the report noted.

United Press International (http://www.upi.com/HealthBusiness/view.php?StoryID=20051108-105532-6886r)