On an industrial park next to Liverpool's John Lennon airport, drugs companies are involved in research that is driving a new frenzy of multibillion-dollar takeover deals. The focus on this Merseyside site is on creating what could be the next big thing for the sector: biological medicines, derived from living organisms.
In laboratories here and around the world, the quest for the latest blockbuster drug has sparked another flurry of deal activity. Last week saw GlaxoSmithKline of the UK and Swiss rival Novartis agree a multibillion dollar swap of assets, while it emerged that another British firm, AstraZeneca, has been the subject of a £60bn approach from US group Pfizer. And every participant is seeking a deal that will yield a clutch of medical bestsellers.