MERCK MAKES €15BLN HOSTILE BID FOR SCHERING

Merck KGaA, a maker of pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals, has launched a hostile takeover bid for Berlin based rival Schering. Merck said it was offering €14.6 billion to buy Schering, a world leader in contraceptives and fertility drugs, in a bid to become one of the leading pharmaceutical groups in Europe.

RTE Business (http://www.rte.ie/business/2006/0313/MERCK.html)