Ebb & Flow

Cor Therapeutics' decision to pad its coffers with $250 million via convertible notes had the M&A rumor mill abuzz last week. Scuttlebutt largely centered on the company's prospects for putting a second product into the earnings column.

On its own, it could take CORR years to organically produce another marketed product. It has two products in Phase II trials: one testing Integrilin eptifibatide in acute myocardial infarction; and the other its Cromafiban oral GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor in acute cardiovascular syndrome and stroke. Programs in venous thrombosis and restenosis are in preclinical development, and five programs in cardiovascular and neurological indications are in research...