Roche to Ventana: We want you so bad

It was apparent from today's Roche investor call that five months of trying to open acquisition discussions with Ventana Medical Systems has left the Swiss firm frustrated and desperate. It may well win the fair hand of Ventana with some combination of a carrot (we'd be so good together) and/or a stick (we're gonna get ya one way or the other), but by putting its cards on the table the way it has, Roche seems to have given Ventana all the leverage.

Several times, CFO Erich Hunziker acknowledged the strength of his firm's desire. "You may ask why Roche sees a certain urgency for this deal," he said early in the call. "Leaving Ventana's successful team unchanged and giving them the support of a global company could be very crucial at a time when key competitors in this market are still aligning their efforts after having just been taken over," he declared. "We are prepared for long discussions but a quick negotiated solution would have clear benefits for everybody involved." Roche has proposed in writing a Genentech-style buyout of a majority of Ventana's shares, as well as yesterday's announced hostile tender plan, which values Ventana at $3 billion, or 44% above Ventana's June 22 closing stock price. Under either scenario, it has promised to keep Ventana independent and in place ("We love you just the way you are..."). Thus far, however, Ventana is still screening Roche's calls.

With Ventana, a specialist in tissue-based oncology assays using both IHC and ISH (in situ hybridization) techniques, in the fold, Roche believes it would have a complete set of diagnostic technologies for the development of oncology drugs and companion diagnostics, including for therapy selection. And importantly, it would have the ability to begin the development process--for itself as well as for other companies that work with it on a service basis--early. "The earlier you start the exchange of ideas between pharma research and diagnostics, the better chance you have to come in parallel with the development of a companion diagnostic," Hunziker explained, adding that at this early stage of the research discussion, "not all of the IP is protected. I think you would shy away from opening up totally with a third party with whom you just have a partnership."

That's fine from Roche's point of view, but our guess is that Ventana does not necessarily share that perspective, and may prefer the potential clout such an interdependency could give it. It is, after all, already collaborating with Genentech (successfully, says Roche), Novartis, and ImClone.

Ventana also surely knows that, like Biosite and others with the rare commodity of molecular diagnostic content, it will command a sizable dowry tomorrow as well as today. Other potential acquirers, like GE, may indeed be wrapped up in merger integration at the moment. Or they may be on the phone with Ventana right now.