Filing pursuant to Rule 425 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended
Deemed filed under Rule 14a-12 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
Filer: Allergan plc
Subject Company: Pfizer Inc.
Commission File Number: 001-03619
Date: December 2, 2015
From: Brent Saunders
Sent: Wednesday, December 02 12:05 PM
Subject: USA Today Op Ed on Pfizer Allergan Combination
Dear Colleagues,
Yesterday, Ian Read, CEO of Pfizer and I highlighted the benefits of the Pfizer Allergan combination in an Op Ed for USA Today. Our proposed combination provides many opportunities for patients, providers and our colleagues around the world and will expand our ability to invest in R&D in the United States.
I encourage you to take some time today to read this article. I have provided the full content below for your quick reference. Its also available online HERE.
Together, we are boldly changing healthcare for the better.
On December 1, 2015, USA Today made the following editorial rebuttal remarks available at http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/12/01/pfizer-allergan-ian-read-brent-saunders-editorials-debates/76627152/, which remarks were subsequently published in the USA Today on December 2, 2015.
Pfizer-Allergan: Good for America
By Ian Read and Brent Saunders
1 December 2015
USA Today
The combination will expand our ability to invest in the U.S.
Pfizer applies science and its global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. Pfizers proposed combination with Allergan creates a global R&D leader and will enable us to pursue cures and treatments for conditions ranging from Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease to cancer and rare genetic disorders.
The combination will allow us to invest a combined $9 billion in research and development, the bulk of it here in the U.S., making us one of the largest single R&D investors in America and expanding our ability to invest in the U.S.
There is a myth that we are skirting U.S. taxes. Not true. All companies must pay taxes on U.S. income regardless where they are incorporated. The proposed combination will not affect the tax rate Pfizer pays on U.S.-based income, reflecting our two companies earnings and 30 R&D and manufacturing locations in the U.S. It also allows us to maintain a strong base of 40,000 high-skill, high-wage jobs in the U.S.
The U.S. is the worlds leader in science with the best academic centers and renowned scientists. All of our foreign competitors that do business in the U.S. enjoy access to our resources. They also benefit from the countrys pricing system and access to our infrastructure. The U.S. has the highest statutory tax rate at 35%, and is one of a few countries that tax overseas earnings when they are brought home to invest.
The unfortunate irony is that an inversion makes it easier for an American company to invest in the U.S. and less likely that it will face competitive tax disadvantages or be acquired by a foreign competitor.
We appreciate that the issues raised by U.S. tax reform are difficult. And we know that many good minds are working to reform the system.
While that process unfolds, we will remain focused on developing innovative medicines that significantly improve the lives of patients.
We want patients to have access to medicines and have expanded our assistance program to four times the federal poverty level so that more patients in need are eligible to receive their Pfizer medicines for free.
The Pfizer-Allergan combination is good for America.
Ian Read is chairman and CEO of Pfizer. Brent Saunders is CEO of Allergan.
NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION
This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.
This communication is not intended to be and is not a prospectus for the purposes of Part 23 of the Companies Act 2014 of Ireland (the 2014 Act), Prospectus (Directive 2003/71/EC) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 324 of 2005) of Ireland (as amended from time to time) or the Prospectus Rules issued by the Central Bank of Ireland pursuant to section 1363 of the 2014 Act, and the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) has not approved this communication.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC
In connection with the proposed transaction between Allergan plc (Allergan) and Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer), Allergan will file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a Joint Proxy Statement of Allergan and Pfizer that also constitutes a Prospectus of Allergan (the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus). Allergan and Pfizer plan to mail to their respective shareholders the definitive Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus in connection with the transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF ALLERGAN AND PFIZER ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ALLERGAN, PFIZER THE TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by Allergan and Pfizer through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Allergan by contacting Allergan Investor Relations at investor.relations@actavis.com or by calling (862) 261-7488 and will be able to obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Pfizer by contacting Pfizer Investor Relations at Bryan.Dunn@pfizer.com or by calling (212) 733-8917.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION
Allergan, Pfizer and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and employees may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of the respective shareholders of Allergan and Pfizer in connection with the proposed transactions, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. Information regarding Allergans directors and executive officers is contained in Allergans proxy statement for its 2015 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 24, 2015, and certain of Allergans Current Reports on Form 8-K. Information regarding Pfizers directors and executive officers is contained in Pfizers proxy statement for its 2015 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 12, 2015, and certain of Pfizers Current Reports on Form 8-K.
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Allergan Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this communication that refer to Allergans anticipated future events, estimated or anticipated future results, or other non-historical facts are forward-looking statements that reflect Allergans current perspective of existing trends and information as of the date of this communication. Forward looking statements generally will be accompanied by words such as such as anticipate, target, possible, potential, predict, project, forecast, out-look, guidance, expect, estimate, intend, plan, goal, believe, hope, aim, continue, will, may, might, would, could or should or other similar words, phrases or expressions or the negatives thereof. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the proposed transaction, including future financial and operating results and synergies, Allergans, Pfizers and the combined companys plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and the expected timing of completion of the transaction. It is important to note that Allergans goals and expectations are not predictions of actual performance. Actual results may differ materially from Allergans current expectations depending upon a number of factors affecting Allergans business, Pfizers business and risks associated with business combination transactions. These factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainty associated with financial projections; restructuring in connection with, and successful closing of, the proposed transaction; subsequent integration of Allergan and Pfizer and the ability to recognize the anticipated synergies and benefits of the proposed transaction; the ability to obtain required regulatory approvals for the transaction (including the approval of antitrust authorities necessary to complete the transaction), the timing of obtaining such approvals and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction; the ability to obtain the requisite Allergan and Pfizer shareholder approvals; the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed transaction may not be satisfied on a timely basis or at all; the failure of the proposed transaction to close for any other reason; risks relating to the value of the Allergan shares to be issued in the transaction; the anticipated size of the markets and continued demand for Allergans and Pfizers products; the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of FDA approvals or actions, if any; the impact of competitive products and pricing; market acceptance of and continued demand for Allergans and Pfizers products; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; the risks of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the risks and uncertainties normally incident to the pharmaceutical industry, including product liability claims and the availability of product liability insurance on reasonable terms; the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of pending or future litigation or government investigations; periodic dependence on a small number of products for a material source of net revenue or income; variability of trade buying patterns; changes in generally accepted accounting principles; risks that the carrying values of assets may be negatively impacted by future events and circumstances; the timing and success of product launches; costs and efforts to defend or enforce intellectual property rights; the availability and pricing of third party sourced products and materials; successful compliance with governmental regulations applicable to Allergans and Pfizers facilities, products and/or businesses; changes in the laws and regulations affecting, among other things, pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceutical products; risks associated with tax liabilities, or changes in U.S. federal or international tax laws or interpretations to which they are subject, including the risk that the Internal Revenue Service disagrees that Allergan is a foreign corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes; the loss of key senior management or scientific staff; and such other risks and uncertainties detailed in Allergans periodic public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Allergans Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2015, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2015, and from time to time in Allergans other investor communications. Except as expressly required by law, Allergan disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
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Pfizer Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the proposed transaction between Pfizer and Allergan. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use future dates or words such as anticipate, target, possible, potential, predict, project, forecast, outlook, guidance, expect, estimate, intend, plan, goal, believe, hope, aim, continue, will, may, might, would, could or should or other words, phrases or expressions of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the proposed transaction, including anticipated future financial and operating results, synergies, accretion and growth rates, Pfizers, Allergans and the combined companys plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, plans relating to share repurchases and dividends and the expected timing of completion of the transaction. There are several factors which could cause actual plans and results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction) and shareholder approvals or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the transaction on a timely basis or at all, the occurrence of events that may give rise to a right of one or both of the parties to terminate the merger agreement, adverse effects on the market price of Pfizers common stock and on Pfizers operating results because of a failure to complete the transaction in the anticipated time frame or at all, failure to realize the expected benefits and synergies of the transaction, restructuring in connection with the transaction and subsequent integration of Pfizer and Allergan, negative effects of the announcement or the consummation of the transaction on the market price of Pfizers common stock and on Pfizers operating results, risks relating to the value of the Allergan shares to be issued in the transaction, significant transaction costs and/or unknown liabilities, the risk of litigation and/or regulatory actions, the loss of key senior management or scientific staff, general economic and business conditions that affect the companies following the transaction, changes in global, political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory forces, future exchange and interest rates, changes in tax and other laws, regulations, rates and policies, future business combinations or disposals, competitive developments and the uncertainties inherent in research and development. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. The factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this communication could cause Pfizers plans with respect to Allergan, actual results, performance or achievements, industry results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Persons reading this communication are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as at the date of this communication. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this communication (whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise), except as required by applicable law. A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizers Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned Risk Factors and Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results, as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov and www.pfizer.com.
Statement Required by the Irish Takeover Rules
The directors of Allergan accept responsibility for the information contained in this communication relating to Allergan and the directors of Allergan and members of their immediate families, related trusts and persons connected with them. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of Allergan (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure such is the case), the information contained in this communication for which they accept responsibility is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.
The directors of Pfizer accept responsibility for the information contained in this communication other than that relating to Allergan and the Allergan group of companies and the directors of Allergan and members of their immediate families, related trusts and persons connected with them. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of Pfizer (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in this communication for which they accept responsibility is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.
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