Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. (WPI) is nearing an agreement to purchase Swiss drugmaker Actavis Group hf, creating one of the world’s largest producers of generic drugs, according to people familiar with the process. Watson, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, may pay about 4.5 billion euros ($6 billion) for Actavis, two of the people said, declining to be identified because the talks are private. While a deal may be announced as soon as next week, it is more likely to come after Easter, the people said.
