Big Pharma may have abandoned anti-bacterial research some years ago, but biotechs are filling the void. Their approaches range from improving existing drugs to discovering entirely new targets. Yet although a handful in Europe, including recently floated Basilea and private firm Arrow, has attracted recent investor interest, it hasn't been the anti-bacterials per se that have drawn them in. Basilea benefited from its spin-off status; Arrow from a promising anti-viral project and broad portfolio. Despite growing concerns over bacterial resistance, the field needs success stories to draw investors back for good. Even then, the nature of the diseases and therapies under development mean it's likely to remain the domain of smaller firms.

Boehringer Ingelheim's generous deal with Medivir for the Swedish group's Phase II HIV compound reflects Boehringer's need to fill a gap in its HIV portfolio. It's also the latest illustration of Medivir's growing deal making wisdom. The biotech spreads risk through adding a third HIV licensing partner alongside Roche and GSK. And by holding on to Nordic marketing rights, Medivir is more likely to stay involved in development decisions.

Gilead plans to maximize the value of its newly-approved anti-HIV drug Viread by launching the product in all major world markets within a year-and by promoting it with the same look, messages and image everywhere. Gilead's campaign will make the point that its product helps patients' drug combinations work better, even if they're failing. By positioning the product this way, Gilead may avoid head-to-head competition with far bigger players. The company got into position to globally market Viread by acquiring NeXstar in 1999, then quickly re-organizing and filling out the very skinny marketing groups it inherited in major European markets. The relatively small company is betting that the cost efficiencies of global branding will bring it a better return on investment, and so help it grow a business that is already highly valued.