Here are three things to know about their thoughts on the deal, which sources said could arrive this month.
1. In a note published Monday, David Larsen, an analyst at Leerink, wrote while federal regulators may ask for “remedies” to assuage any antitrust concerns, “we believe that ultimately the transaction would be approved.”
2. Mr. Larsen added, “We also believe that the Trump administration is more business friendly, and regulators may view a CVS/Aetna combination as a way to continue to put pressure on manufacturers and drug prices.”
3. Ana Gupte, also a Leerink analyst, wrote in a note to investors Aetna may need to divest $7.7 million in Medicare Part D assets to avoid antitrust concerns, according to the Hartford Courant. The move, however, would decrease the number of Aetna members referred to CVS Health pharmacies, resulting in losses for the pharmacy benefit management arms.
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