AstraZeneca to buy drugs it developed with Merck

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. AstraZeneca plans to buy Merck & Co.’s interest in several drug products that the two companies developed under a partnership, Merck announced Monday.

The Anglo-Swedish drug maker will pay $647 million for Merck’s interest in products other than proton-pump inhibitors, including the hypertension and heart failure drug Atacand (candesartan cilexetil), the hypertension drugs Lexxel (enalapril maleate and felodipine) and Plendil (felodipine) and the Crohn’s disease drug Entocort (budesonide), as well as some drugs currently in clinical trials.

AstraZeneca will also have the option to acquire Merck’s interest in proton-pump inhibitors, including Nexium (ddd), in 2012 or later.