021 0192
UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA
BEFORE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
- COMMISSIONERS:
-
Timothy J. Muris, Chairman
-
Sheila F. Anthony
-
Mozelle W. Thompson
- Orson
Swindle
-
Thomas B. Leary
In the Matter of
PFIZER INC., a
corporation; and
PHARMACIA CORPORATION, a corporation. |
Docket No. C-4075
ORDER TO MAINTAIN ASSETS |
The Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission
("Commission"), having initiated an investigation of the proposed merger
between Respondent Pfizer Inc. ("Pfizer") and Respondent Pharmacia
Corporation ("Pharmacia"), hereinafter referred to as "Respondents," and
the Respondents having been furnished thereafter with a copy of a draft of
Complaint that the Bureau of Competition proposed to present to the
Commission for its consideration and which, if issued by the Commission,
would charge Respondents with violations of Section 7 of the Clayton Act,
as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 18, and Section 5 of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission
Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 45; and
Respondents, their attorneys, and counsel
for the Commission having thereafter executed an Agreement Containing
Consent Orders ("Consent Agreement"), containing the proposed Decision and
Order, an admission by Respondents of all the jurisdictional facts set
forth in the aforesaid draft of Complaint, a statement that the signing of
said Consent Agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not
constitute an admission by Respondents that the law has been violated as
alleged in such Complaint, or that the facts as alleged in such Complaint,
other than jurisdictional facts, are true, and waivers and other
provisions as required by the Commission's Rules; and
The Commission having thereafter
considered the matter and having determined that it had reason to believe
that Respondents have violated the said Acts, and that a Complaint should
issue stating its charges in that respect, and having determined to accept
the executed Consent Agreement and to place such Consent Agreement on the
public record for a period of thirty (30) days for the receipt and
consideration of public comments, now in further conformity with the
procedure described in Commission Rule 2.34, 16 C.F.R. § 2.34, the
Commission hereby issues its Complaint, makes the following jurisdictional
findings and issues this Order to Maintain Assets:
- 1. Respondent Pfizer Inc. is a
corporation organized, existing and doing business under and by virtue
of the laws of the State of Delaware, with its office and principal
place of business located at 235 East 42nd Street, New York,
New York 10017.
-
- 2. Respondent Pharmacia Corporation is
a corporation organized, existing and doing business under and by virtue
of the laws of the State of Delaware, with its office and principal
place of business located at 100 Route 206 North, Peapack, New Jersey
07977.
-
- 3. The Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission has
jurisdiction of the subject matter of this proceeding and of
Respondents, and the proceeding is in the public interest.
ORDER
I.
IT IS ORDERED that, as
used in this Order to Maintain Assets, the following definitions and the
definitions used in the Consent Agreement and the proposed Decision and
Order (and when made final, the final Decision and Order), which are
attached hereto as Appendix B and incorporated herein by reference and
made a part hereof, shall apply:
- A. "Pfizer" means Pfizer Inc., its
directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, predecessors,
successors, and assigns; its joint ventures, subsidiaries, divisions,
groups and affiliates controlled by Pfizer Inc. (including, but not
limited to, Warner-Lambert Company LLC), and the respective directors,
officers, employees, agents, representatives, successors, and assigns of
each.
-
- B. "Pharmacia" means Pharmacia
Corporation, its directors, officers, employees, agents,
representatives, predecessors, successors, and assigns; its joint
ventures, subsidiaries, divisions, groups and affiliates controlled by
Pharmacia Corporation (including, but not limited to, G.D. Searle LLC,
and Pharmacia & Upjohn Company), and the respective directors, officers,
employees, agents, representatives, successors, and assigns of each.
-
- C. "Respondents" means Pfizer and
Pharmacia, individually and collectively.
-
- D. "Merger" means the merger
contemplated by the "Agreement and Plan of Merger" dated as of July 13,
2002, among Pfizer, Pilsner Acquisition Sub Corp. ("Pilsner") and
Pharmacia ("Merger Agreement") pursuant to which Pilsner, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Pfizer formed for the purpose of the merger, will merge
with and into Pharmacia. As a result, Pharmacia will survive the merger
and become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pfizer upon completion of the
merger.
-
- E. "Commission" means the Â鶹´«Ã½
Trade Commission.
-
- F. "Agency(ies)" means any
governmental regulatory authority or authorities in the world
responsible for granting approval(s), clearance(s), qualification(s),
license(s) or permit(s) for any aspect of the research, Development,
manufacture, marketing, distribution or sale of a Product. The term
"Agency" includes, but is not limited to, the United States Food and
Drug Administration ("FDA").
-
- G. "Business Day" means any day
excluding Saturday, Sunday and any United States Â鶹´«Ã½ holiday.
-
- H. "Closing Date" means the date on
which Respondents (or a Divestiture Trustee) and a Commission-approved
Acquirer close on a transaction to divest, license, or otherwise convey
relevant assets pursuant to the Decision and Order.
-
- I. "Commission-approved Acquirer"
means: 1) an entity that is specifically identified in the Decision and
Order to acquire particular assets that the Respondents are required to
assign, grant, license, divest, transfer, deliver or otherwise convey
pursuant to the Decision and Order and that has been approved by the
Commission to accomplish the requirements of the Decision and Order in
connection with the Commission's determination to make the Decision and
Order final; or 2) an entity approved by the Commission to acquire
particular assets that the Respondents are required to assign, grant,
license, divest, transfer, deliver or otherwise convey pursuant to the
Decision and Order.
-
- J. "Confidential Business Information"
means all information owned by, or in the possession or control of,
Respondents that is not in the public domain related to the research,
Development, manufacture, marketing, commercialization, distribution,
importation, exportation, cost, pricing, supply, sales, sales support,
or use of a Product, as defined in the Decision and Order.
- K. "Divestiture Agreement" means: 1)
any agreement between a Respondent(s) and a Commission-approved Acquirer
that is specifically referenced and attached to the Decision and Order
and all amendments, exhibits, attachments, agreements, and schedules
thereto, related to the relevant assets to be assigned, granted,
licensed, divested, transferred, delivered or otherwise conveyed, and
that has been approved by the Commission to accomplish the requirements
of the Orders in connection with the Commission's determination to make
the Decision and Order final; or 2) any agreement between a Respondent(s)
and a Commission-approved Acquirer (or between a Divestiture Trustee and
a Commission-approved Acquirer) that has been approved by the Commission
to accomplish the requirements of the Decision and Order and all
amendments, exhibits, attachments, agreements, and schedules thereto,
related to the relevant assets to be assigned, granted, licensed,
divested, transferred, delivered or otherwise conveyed, that have been
approved by the Commission to accomplish the requirements of the Orders.
-
- L. "Divestiture Businesses and Assets"
means the Bonine Assets, the Cortaid Assets, the Cow Mastitis Products
Assets, the D2 Agonist 774 Assets, the Darifenacin Assets, the Femhrt
Assets, the Halls Assets, the Halls Business, and the IN Apomorphine
Assets, individually and collectively, as defined in the Decision and
Order.
-
- M. "Divestiture Trustee(s)" means a
trustee or trustees appointed by the Commission pursuant to the relevant
provisions of the Decision and Order.
-
- N. "Effective Date" means the earlier
of: 1) the date the Respondents close on the Merger Agreement, or 2) the
date the Merger becomes effective by filing the certificate of merger
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
-
- O. "Interim Monitor(s)" means a
monitor appointed by the Commission pursuant to the relevant provisions
of this Order to Maintain Assets or the Decision and Order.
-
- P. "Orders" means the Decision and
Order and this Order to Maintain Assets.
-
- Q. "Product Confidential Business
Information" means the Confidential Business Information relating to any
product marketed or sold under the Halls Trademarks and the following
Products as defined in the Decision and Order: Amoxi-Mast, Bonine,
Cortaid, D2 Agonist 774, Dariclox, Darifenacin, Deramaxx, Femhrt, IN
Apomorphine, and Orbenin DC.
-
- R. "Product Core Employee(s)" means
the Darifenacin Core Employees, the Femhrt Core Employees, the Femhrt
Sales Employees, the IN Apomorphine Core Employees, the D2 Agonist 774
Core Employees, the Cow Mastitis Products Core Employees, the Bonine
Core Employees, and the Cortaid Core Employees, individually and
collectively, as defined or otherwise identified in the Decision and
Order.
-
- S. "Proposed Acquirer" means an entity
proposed by the Respondents (or a Divestiture Trustee) to the Commission
and submitted for the approval of the Commission as the acquirer for
particular assets required to be assigned, granted, licensed, divested,
transferred, delivered or otherwise conveyed by Respondents pursuant to
this Order.
II.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED
that from the date this Order to Maintain Assets becomes final:
- A. Respondents shall take such actions
as are necessary to maintain the viability, marketability, and
competitiveness of the Divestiture Businesses and Assets, and shall
prevent the destruction, removal, wasting, deterioration, sale,
disposition, transfer or impairment of the Divestiture Businesses and
Assets, except for ordinary wear and tear and as otherwise would occur
in the ordinary course of business.
-
- B. Respondents shall maintain the
operations of the Divestiture Businesses and Assets in the regular and
ordinary course of business and in accordance with past practice
(including regular repair and maintenance of the Divestiture Businesses
and Assets) and shall use their best efforts to preserve the existing
relationships with suppliers, vendors, customers, Agencies, employees,
and others having business relations with the Divestiture Businesses and
Assets. Respondents' responsibilities shall include, but are not limited
to:
-
-
- 1. providing the Divestiture
Businesses and Assets with sufficient working capital to operate the
Divestiture Businesses and Assets at least at current rates of
operation, to meet all capital calls with respect to the Divestiture
Businesses and Assets and to carry on, at least at their scheduled
pace, all capital projects, business plans and promotional activities
for the Divestiture Businesses and Assets;
-
-
-
- 2. continuing, at least at their
scheduled pace, any additional expenditures for the Divestiture
Businesses and Assets authorized prior to the date the Consent
Agreement was signed by Respondents;
-
-
-
- 3. making available for use by the
Divestiture Businesses and Assets funds sufficient to perform all
routine maintenance and all other maintenance as may be necessary to,
and all replacements of, the Divestiture Businesses and Assets;
-
-
-
- 4. providing the Divestiture
Businesses and Assets with such funds as are necessary to maintain the
viability, marketability and competitiveness of the Divestiture
Businesses and Assets;
-
-
-
- 5. providing such support services
to the Divestiture Businesses and Assets as were being provided to
these businesses by Respondents as of the date the Consent Agreement
was signed by Respondents;
-
-
-
- 6. maintaining a work force
equivalent in size, training, and expertise to what has been
associated with the Divestiture Businesses and Assets;
-
-
-
- 7. in connection with the
Darifenacin Assets and the Commission-approved Acquirer of the
Darifenacin Assets: (i) keeping the Commission-approved Acquirer
informed on a timely and ongoing basis with respect to any material
contacts with, or communications from, any Agency(ies) relating to
Darifenacin; (ii) notifying the Commission-approved Acquirer of, and
allowing its participation in, any meetings or discussions with any
Agency(ies) relating to Darifenacin; (iii) discussing with the
Commission-approved Acquirer any proposed action, response or reply by
Respondents to any Agency(ies) relating to Darifenacin in advance of
Respondents taking such action or submitting such response or reply;
and (iv) complying with all reasonable requests made by the
Commission-approved Acquirer of the Darifenacin Assets concerning any
proposed meetings, discussions, actions, or written or oral
communications with any such Agency(ies); and
-
-
-
- 8. in connection with the Cow
Mastitis Products Assets and the Commission-approved Acquirer of the
Cow Mastitis Products Assets: (i) keeping the Commission-approved
Acquirer informed on a timely and ongoing basis with respect to any
material contacts with, or communications from, any Agency(ies)
relating to qualification of an alternative supplier of the active
pharmaceutical ingredients contained in the Cow Mastitis Products;
(ii) notifying the Commission-approved Acquirer of, and allowing its
participation in, any meetings or discussions with any Agency(ies)
relating to qualification of an alternative supplier of the active
pharmaceutical ingredients contained in the Cow Mastitis Products;
(iii) discussing with the Commission-approved Acquirer any proposed
action, response or reply by Respondents to any Agency(ies) relating
to qualification of an alternative supplier of the active
pharmaceutical ingredients contained in the Cow Mastitis Products in
advance of Respondents taking such action or submitting such response
or reply; and (iv) complying with all reasonable requests made by the
Commission-approved Acquirer of the Cow Mastitis Products Assets
concerning any proposed meetings, discussions, actions, or written or
oral communications with any such Agency(ies).
-
- C. Respondents shall cooperate with
the Interim Monitor(s) in the performance of the Interim Monitor'(s)
obligations pursuant to the Orders.
-
- D. Respondents shall provide all
Product Core Employees with reasonable financial incentives to continue
in their positions until the Closing Date. Such incentives shall include
a continuation of all employee benefits offered by Respondents until the
Closing Date for the divestiture of the Divestiture Businesses and
Assets has occurred, including regularly scheduled raises and bonuses,
and a vesting of all pension benefits (as permitted by law).
-
- Provided, however, this
Paragraph shall not be construed to require the Respondents to terminate
the employment of any employee.
-
- E. Prior to the Closing Date, and
consistent with the provisions of the Decision and Order, Respondents
shall not interfere with the hiring or employing of any Product Core
Employees by any Proposed Acquirer of any of the Divestiture Businesses
and Assets, shall not offer any incentive to such employees to decline
employment with the Proposed Acquirer or to accept other employment with
Respondents in lieu of accepting employment with the Proposed Acquirer,
and shall remove any other impediments within the control of Respondents
that may deter these employees from accepting employment related to the
Divestiture Businesses and Assets with the Proposed Acquirer, including,
but not limited to, any confidentiality provisions relating to the
Divestiture Businesses and Assets or any non-compete provisions of
employment or other contracts with Respondents that would affect the
ability or incentive of those individuals to be employed by the Proposed
Acquirer. In addition, Respondents shall not make any counteroffer to a
Product Core Employee who receives a written offer of employment from
the Proposed Acquirer.
-
- Provided, however, that this
Paragraph II.E. does not prohibit the Respondents from making offers to
any Product Core Employee where the Commission-approved Acquirer has
notified the Respondents in writing that it does not intend to make an
offer of employment to that employee.
-
- Provided further, that if the
Respondents notify the Commission-approved Acquirer in writing of their
desire to make an offer of employment to a particular Product Core
Employee, and the Commission-approved Acquirer does not make an offer of
employment to that employee within twenty (20) Business Days of the date
the Commission-approved Acquirer receives such notice, the Respondents
may make an offer of employment to that employee.
-
- F. Promptly following the Effective
Date, Respondents shall provide to all of Respondents' employees and
other personnel who may have access to Product Confidential Business
Information written or electronic notification of the restrictions on
the use of the Product Confidential Business Information by Respondents'
personnel. At the same time, if not provided earlier, Respondents shall
provide a copy of such notification by e-mail with return receipt
requested or similar transmission, and keep an electronic file of such
receipts for one (1) year after the Closing Date. Respondents shall
provide a copy of the form of such notification to the
Commission-approved Acquirer, the Interim Monitor(s), and the
Commission. Respondents shall also obtain from each employee covered by
this Paragraph II. F. an agreement to abide by the applicable
restrictions. Such agreement and notification shall be in substantially
the form set forth in the "Notice of Divestiture and Requirement for
Confidentiality" attached as Appendix A to this Order to Maintain
Assets. Respondents shall maintain complete records of all such
agreements at Respondents' corporate headquarters and shall provide an
officer's certification to the Commission, stating that such
acknowledgment program has been implemented and is being complied with.
Respondents shall monitor the implementation by their employees and
other personnel of all applicable restrictions, and take corrective
actions for the failure of such employees and personnel to comply with
such restrictions or to furnish the written agreements and
acknowledgments required by this Order. Respondents shall provide the
Commission-approved Acquirer with copies of all certifications,
notifications and reminders sent to Respondents' employees and other
personnel.
-
- G. Respondents shall adhere to and
abide by the Divestiture Agreements (which agreements shall not vary or
contradict, or be construed to vary or contradict, the terms of the
Orders, it being understood that nothing in the Orders shall be
construed to reduce any obligations of Respondents under such
agreement(s)), which are incorporated by reference into this Order to
Maintain Assets and made a part hereof.
-
- H. The purpose of this Order to
Maintain Assets is to ensure the continued viability, marketability, and
competitiveness of the Divestiture Businesses and Assets in the same
businesses in which the Divestiture Businesses and Assets were engaged
at the time of the announcement of the Merger, and to prevent the
destruction, removal, wasting, deterioration, or impairment of any of
the Divestiture Businesses and Assets except for ordinary wear and tear.
III.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED
that:
- A. At any time after Respondents sign
the Consent Agreement in this matter, the Commission may appoint one or
more Interim Monitors to assure that Respondents expeditiously comply
with all of their obligations and perform all of their responsibilities
as required by the Orders and the Divestiture Agreements.
-
- B. The Commission shall select each
Interim Monitor, subject to the consent of Respondents, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld. If neither Respondent has opposed,
in writing, including the reasons for opposing, the selection of a
proposed Interim Monitor within ten (10) days after notice by the staff
of the Commission to Respondents of the identity of any proposed Interim
Monitor, Respondents shall be deemed to have consented to the selection
of the proposed Interim Monitor.
-
- C. Not later than ten (10) days after
the appointment of an Interim Monitor, Respondents shall execute an
agreement that, subject to the prior approval of the Commission, confers
on the Interim Monitor all the rights and powers necessary to permit the
Interim Monitor to monitor Respondents' compliance with the relevant
requirements of the Orders in a manner consistent with the purposes of
the Orders.
-
- D. If one or more Interim Monitors are
appointed pursuant to this Paragraph or pursuant to the relevant
provisions of the Decision and Order in this matter, Respondents shall
consent to the following terms and conditions regarding the powers,
duties, authorities, and responsibilities of each Interim Monitor:
-
-
- 1. The Interim Monitor shall have
the power and authority to monitor Respondents' compliance with the
divestiture and asset maintenance obligations and related requirements
of the Orders, and shall exercise such power and authority and carry
out the duties and responsibilities of the Interim Monitor in a manner
consistent with the purposes of the Orders and in consultation with
the Commission.
-
-
-
- 2. The Interim Monitor shall act in
a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the Commission.
-
-
-
- 3. The Interim Monitor shall serve
until the later of:
-
-
-
-
- a. the completion by Respondents
of the divestitures of the Divestiture Businesses and Assets in a
manner that fully satisfies the requirements of the Orders and
notification by the Commission-approved Acquirers to the Interim
Monitor that they are fully capable of producing the relevant
Product(s) acquired pursuant to a Divestiture Agreement(s)
independently of Respondents (or, in the case of the Cow Mastitis
Products, independently of GlaxoSmithKline); or
-
-
-
-
-
- b. the completion by Respondents
of the last obligation under the Orders pertaining to the Interim
Monitor's service.
-
-
-
-
-
- Provided, however, that
the Commission may extend or modify this period as may be necessary
or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of the Orders.
-
-
-
- 4. Subject to any demonstrated
legally recognized privilege, the Interim Monitor shall have full and
complete access to Respondents' personnel, books, documents, records
kept in the normal course of business, facilities and technical
information, and such other relevant information as the Interim
Monitor may reasonably request, related to Respondents' compliance
with their obligations under the Orders, including, but not limited
to, their obligations related to the Divestiture Businesses and
Assets. Respondents shall cooperate with any reasonable request of the
Interim Monitor and shall take no action to interfere with or impede
the Interim Monitor's ability to monitor Respondents' compliance with
the Orders.
-
-
-
- 5. The Interim Monitor shall serve,
without bond or other security, at the expense of Respondents on such
reasonable and customary terms and conditions as the Commission may
set. The Interim Monitor shall have authority to employ, at the
expense of the Respondents, such consultants, accountants, attorneys
and other representatives and assistants as are reasonably necessary
to carry out the Interim Monitor's duties and responsibilities.
-
-
-
- 6. Respondents shall indemnify the
Interim Monitor and hold the Interim Monitor harmless against any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses arising out of, or
in connection with, the performance of the Interim Monitor's duties,
including all reasonable fees of counsel and other reasonable expenses
incurred in connection with the preparations for, or defense of, any
claim, whether or not resulting in any liability, except to the extent
that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses result
from misfeasance, gross negligence, willful or wanton acts, or bad
faith by the Interim Monitor.
-
-
-
- 7. Respondents shall report to the
Interim Monitor in accordance with the requirements of the Decision
and Order and/or as otherwise provided in any agreement approved by
the Commission. The Interim Monitor shall evaluate the reports
submitted to the Interim Monitor by Respondents, and any reports
submitted by the Commission-approved Acquirer with respect to the
performance of Respondents' obligations under the Orders or the
Divestiture Agreement(s). Within one (1) month from the date the
Interim Monitor receives these reports, the Interim Monitor shall
report in writing to the Commission concerning Respondents'
performance of their obligations under the Orders.
-
-
-
- 8. Respondents may require the
Interim Monitor and each of the Interim Monitor's consultants,
accountants, attorneys and other representatives and assistants to
sign a customary confidentiality agreement; provided, however,
that such agreement shall not restrict the Interim Monitor from
providing any information to the Commission.
-
- E. The Commission may, among other
things, require each Interim Monitor and each of the Interim Monitor's
consultants, accountants, attorneys and other representatives and
assistants to sign an appropriate confidentiality agreement related to
Commission materials and information received in connection with the
performance of the Interim Monitor's duties.
-
- F. If the Commission determines that
an Interim Monitor has ceased to act or failed to act diligently, the
Commission may appoint a substitute Interim Monitor in the same manner
as provided in this Paragraph or the relevant provisions of the Decision
and Order in this matter.
-
- G. The Commission may on its own
initiative, or at the request of an Interim Monitor, issue such
additional orders or directions as may be necessary or appropriate to
assure compliance with the requirements of the Orders.
-
- H. An Interim Monitor appointed
pursuant to this Order to Maintain Assets or the relevant provisions of
the Decision and Order in this matter may be the same person appointed
as a Divestiture Trustee pursuant to the relevant provisions of the
Decision and Order.
IV.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED
that Respondents shall notify the Commission at least thirty (30) days
prior to any proposed change in either corporate Respondent such as
dissolution, assignment, sale resulting in the emergence of a successor
corporation, or the creation or dissolution of subsidiaries or any other
change in the corporation that may affect compliance obligations arising
out of this Order to Maintain Assets.
V.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED
that, for the purposes of determining or securing compliance with this
Order to Maintain Assets, and subject to any legally recognized privilege,
and upon written request with reasonable notice to Respondents,
Respondents shall permit any duly authorized representatives of the
Commission:
- A. Access, during office hours of
Respondents and in the presence of counsel, to all facilities and access
to inspect and copy all books, ledgers, accounts, correspondence,
memoranda and all other records and documents in the possession or under
the control of Respondents relating to compliance with this Order to
Maintain Assets; and
-
- B. Upon five (5) days' notice to
Respondents and without restraint or interference from Respondents, to
interview officers, directors, or employees of Respondents, who may have
counsel present, regarding such matters.
VI.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED
that this Order to Maintain Assets shall terminate on the earlier of:
- A. Three (3) business days after the
Commission withdraws its acceptance of the Consent Agreement pursuant to
the provisions of Commission Rule 2.34, 16 C.F.R. § 2.34; or
-
- B. The day after the divestiture of
all of the Divestiture Businesses and Assets, as required by and
described in the Decision and Order, has been completed and each Interim
Monitor, in consultation with Commission staff and the
Commission-approved Acquirer(s), notifies the Commission that all
related assignments, conveyances, deliveries, grants, licenses,
transactions, transfers and other transitions are complete, or the
Commission otherwise directs that this Order to Maintain Assets is
terminated.
By the Commission.
Donald S. Clark
Secretary
SEAL
ISSUED: April 11, 2003
APPENDIX A
TO THE ORDER TO
MAINTAIN ASSETS
NOTICE
OF DIVESTITURE AND REQUIREMENT FOR CONFIDENTIALITY
On March 24, 2003, Pfizer Inc. ("Pfizer")
and Pharmacia Corporation ("Pharmacia"), hereinafter referred to
collectively as "Respondents," entered into an Agreement Containing
Consent Orders ("Consent Agreement") with the Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission
("FTC") relating to the divestiture of certain assets. That Consent
Agreement includes two orders: The Decision and Order and the Order to
Maintain Assets.
The Decision and Order requires the
divestiture of assets relating to the several marketed and pipeline Pfizer
products including Darifenacin, femhrt, Pfizer's cow mastitis product
line, Pfizer's Halls product line and Bonine. These assets are hereinafter
referred to as the "Pfizer Divested Assets." The Decision and Order also
requires the divestiture of assets relating to several marketed and
pipeline Pharmacia products including Intranasal Apomorphine, the D2
Agonist 774 development compound, Deramaxx and Cortaid. These assets are
hereinafter referred to as the "Pharmacia Divested Assets." Both the
Decision and Order and the Order to Maintain Assets require Respondents to
commit that no Confidential Business Information relating to the Pfizer
Divested Assets or the Pharmacia Divested Assets will be disclosed to or
used by any employee of the combined entity formed by the merger of Pfizer
and Pharmacia ("Combined Entity"). In particular, this is to protect such
information from being used in any way for the
research, development, sale or manufacture of any product that competes or
may compete with any product that is marketed by the Respondents after the
proposed merger. The Decision and Order also requires the complete
divestiture of ALL documents (including electronically stored material)
that contain Confidential Business Information related to the Pfizer
Divested Assets and Pharmacia Divested Assets. Accordingly, no employee of
the Combined Entity may maintain copies of documents containing such
information.
Under the Decision and Order, the
Respondents are required to divest the Pfizer Divested Assets and
Pharmacia Divested Assets to an acquirer that must be approved by the FTC.
Companies have been have been proposed to the FTC as the acquirers for
these assets. Until a complete divestiture of all of the Pfizer Divested
Assets and Pharmacia Divested Assets occurs, the requirements of the
second order - the Order to Maintain Assets - are in place to insure the
continued marketability, viability and competitive vigor of the Pfizer
Divested Assets and Pharmacia Divested Assets. This includes preserving
the work force that performs functions related to the Pfizer Divested
Assets and Pharmacia Divested Assets. You are receiving this notice
because you are either (i) an employee with work responsibilities related
to the Pfizer Divested Assets, (ii) an employee with work responsibilities
related to the Pharmacia Divested Assets, (iii) an employee for Pfizer,
Pharmacia or the Combined Entity who has work responsibilities in some way
related to products that compete or may compete with the Pfizer Divested
Assets or Pharmacia Divested Assets, or (iv) an employee or former
employee of Pharmacia or Pfizer who might have Confidential Business
Information in your possession related to the Pfizer Divested Assets or
Pharmacia Divested Assets.
All Confidential Business Information
related to Pfizer Divested Assets and Pharmacia Divested Assets must be
retained and maintained by the persons involved in the operation of that
business on a confidential basis, and such persons must not provide,
discuss, exchange, circulate, or otherwise disclose any such information
to or with any other person whose employment involves responsibilities
unrelated to the Pfizer Divested Assets or Pharmacia Divested Assets (such
as persons with job responsibilities related to Pfizer or Pharmacia
products that compete or may compete with the Pfizer Divested Assets or
Pharmacia Divested Assets). In addition, any person who possesses such
Confidential Business Information related to the Pharmacia Divested Assets
or Pfizer Divested Assets and who becomes involved in the Combined
Entity's business related to any product that competes or may compete with
the Pfizer Divested Assets or Pharmacia Divested Assets must not provide,
discuss, exchange, circulate, or otherwise disclose any such information
to or with any other person whose employment relates to such businesses.
Finally, any Pfizer, Pharmacia or former Pfizer or Pharmacia employee with
documents that contain information that he or she believes might be
considered Confidential Business Information related to the Pharmacia
Divested Assets or Pfizer Divested Assets and who has not received
specific instructions as to how the documents in his or her possession
should be disposed of should contact the contact person identified at the
end of this notice.
Furthermore, the Decision and Order
places restrictions upon the functions that management level employees of
Pfizer or Pharmacia can perform for the Combined Entity for one (1) year
from the closing of the Pfizer/Pharmacia transaction: (i) any employee of
Pfizer who was involved in the marketing of Darifenacin may not perform a
similar function for the Combined Entity relating to Detrol, (ii) any
employee of Pfizer who was involved in the marketing of femhrt may not
perform a similar function for the Combined Entity relating to Activella,
(iii) any employee of Pfizer who was involved in the marketing of Pfizer's
Cow Mastitis products may not perform a similar function for the Combined
Entity relating to Cow Mastitis products, (iv) any employee of Pfizer who
was involved in the marketing of Bonine may not perform a similar function
for the Combined Entity relating to Dramamine, and (v) any employee of
Pharmacia who was involved in the marketing of Cortaid may not perform a
similar function for the Combined Entity relating to Cortizone. In
addition, any employee involved in sales efforts for femhrt may not
perform a similar function for the Combined Entity regarding Activella for
six (6) months from the closing of the Pfizer/Pharmacia transaction.
Any violation of the Decision and Order,
or the Order to Maintain Assets may subject Pfizer, Pharmacia, or the
Combined Entity to civil penalties and other relief as provided by law.
CONTACT PERSON
If you have questions regarding the
contents of this notice, the confidentiality of information, the Decision
and Order or the Order to Maintain Assets, you should contact Marc Brotman
at 212-733-5029, e-mail address: marc.brotman@pfizer.com.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I, (print name), hereby acknowledge that
I have read the above notification and agree to abide by its provisions.
APPENDIX B
TO THE ORDER TO MAINTAIN ASSETS
[DECISION AND ORDER]
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