Some leaked info and rumors floating around today – some of it obvious, some hinted at. Let’s take a look…

• Allergan laid off 460 workers back in February, but it seems like the Botox-maker might be swinging the axe yet again. While everyone has been focusing on the downturn of elective aesthetic procedures and its effects on Allergan sales, the word is that the axe will be swinging in the company’s eye division — sales of Restasis (ophthalmic cyclosporine) have been faltering — and medical device departments. Here’s a small excerpt from Allergan’s recent press release:

Allergan sustained above-market revenue growth at 11.8% during 2008 despite 30% of the company’s business depending on demand from cash-paying customers. However, a significant slowing of demand in the second half of 2008 for both medical devices and pharmaceutical products, with the exception of skin care, raises concerns as to the company’s ability to maintain strong sales growth rates during the current macroeconomic downturn.

No word as to when more pink slips will go out, but we assume we can expect something in 1H09. The additional relief of headcount might also make sense for a potential buyout, a rumor that spiked recently when there was an increase the stock’s April options, as Allergan tries to clean up its financials and burn.

• Finally, we have Bayer Oncology. This is one that was kinda obvious with the recent divestment of Campath et al to Genzyme, but left out of the blogs and press releases. Talk is that the Campath divestments will come with about a 40% reduction in Bayer’s oncology division. Not sure how many this would be equal to, but we would make a projection at around a few hundred. Bayer is still left with Nexavar (sorafenib) and Viadur (leuprolide acetate implant) so some jobs should remain intact. No word on the dates of the axes, but we’ll continue to watch…

Image from jischinger

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