WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey drugmakers Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. have made their longtime partnership permanent.

The companies say Merck's $41 billion purchase of Schering-Plough is now complete. It creates the world's second-biggest drugmaker, behind Pfizer Inc.

That's after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission approved the deal Oct. 29.

Regulators in Europe and elsewhere, and shareholders of both companies, have already approved it.

The two companies have been jointly selling the cholesterol drugs Vytorin and Zetia for years.

The deal adds allergy drugs Nasonex and Clarinex to Merck's Singulair and its diabetes pill Januvia. It also gives Merck animal and consumer health products, and a promising biotech division.

Date: November 3, 2009
Source: Associated Press