We said goodbye to Wyeththree weeks ago,
Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) took it from our sight.
Today it's Schering-Plough's heave-ho,
Merck (NYSE: MRK) closed the deal last night.

Technically, Schering lives on as a quirk;
It was a reverse merger, after all.
But after Schering bought Merck
As "Merck," it answers the call.

Change in control or reverse merger deal?
Only an arbiter will decide.
Non-U.S. Remicade sales are on appeal;
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) no longer wants to divide.

Like Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY)-Medarex and Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY)-ICOS,
Partners can be acquired.
Using Vytorin-plus-Zetia to get close
Actually may have backfired.

But Schering's pipeline also has gusto.
Merck's is a bit of a mess.
Many weren't developed by Schering, though,
But through Organon BioSciences' largesse.

Only $14 billion that deal was costing;
It came with lots of drugs to boot
Which made Merck's acquisition exhausting,
Organon brought animal-health product loot.

You see, Merial was Merck's joint-venture bride,
With sanofi-aventis (NYSE: SNY) it paired.
But Merck having something of its own on the side?
" Absolutement non!" Sanofi declared.

Merck, its half of Merial did sell
To Sanofi, the partner, it went.
But the previous partners could once again gel;
Sanofi has the option to relent. Continued...