FILE PHOTO: The Pfizer logo is seen at their world headquarters in New York, U.S., April 28, 2014. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo
March 23, 2018
LONDON (Reuters) – GlaxoSmithKline <GSK.L> said on Friday it had withdrawn from the race to buy Pfizer’s <PFE.N> consumer healthcare business, which the U.S. drugmaker believes could be worth as much as $20 billion.
The British company was seen as the front runner to buy the assets after its main rival Reckitt Benckiser <RB.L> quit the race on Thursday.
“While we will continue to review opportunities that may accelerate our strategy, they must meet our criteria for returns and not compromise our priorities for capital allocation,” Chief Executive Emma Walmsley said.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
