How Much Bad News Can Merck Sustain?

"First it was the Vioxx disaster, and now a challenge by Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) has unhinged its patent for Fosamax, its second top selling drug. The timing couldn't be worse. In 2006 it will lose it number one drug, Zocor, to generic competitors. Zocor is a statin, in a similar class with Pfizer's (PFE) Lipitor and Pravachol from Bristol-Myers-Squibb (BMS)." [Investors.com]