The breakup of Abbott Laboratories (ABT) into two companies will create a prescription-medicine spinoff that may become a $54 billion target for drugmakers looking to rejuvenate their flagging portfolios. The Abbott Park, Illinois-based company said yesterday it will split next year, with one company selling medical products and the other prescription medicines. Powered by Humira, an anti-inflammatory with $6.5 billion in annual sales, the new drugmaker may attract bids from Merck & Co., Roche Holding AG (ROG) or Bayer AG (BAYN), said Jeffrey Holford, a Jefferies Group Inc. analyst.
