Sanofi-aventis has signed an agreement under which it will buy Merck & Co Ltd's 50% stake in Merial Limited for $4 billion cash, after which it will own Merial outright. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, Merck is selling its stake in Merial to avoid concerns from antitrust regulators that its pending acquisition of Schering-Plough will make it too dominant.

Merck, sanofi-aventis and Schering-Plough have also announced another agreement under which sanofi-aventis will have the option to combine Merck's Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health business with Merial to form an animal health joint venture owned equally by Merck and sanofi-aventis.

I thought Merial-Intervet-Schering-Plough was a bit of a mouthful, but sanofi-aventis-Merial-Intervet/Schering-Plough? The receptionist is going to have her work cut out.

PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vets.