Dan Vasella may propose that Joerg Reinhardt, who is currently head of vaccines and diagnostics as his successor, according to an article in Swiss weekly SonntagsZeitung, Thomson Financial reports. With shrinking margins, pressure on its stock price and drug setbacks, Novartis could use a breath of fresh air, the report said. Vasella has been criticized over his dual mandate as chairman and ceo. And you may recall that Roche already announced such a step the other day, most likely adding pressure on Vasella to now consider the same step.

Roche’s $3 billion hostile bid for Ventana Medical Systems is a “sound” move and investors shouldn’t bet the bid may be raised, Franz Humer, the head of the Swiss drugmaker, told Sonntagszeitung, according to Bloomberg News. If Ventana refuses to discuss a friendly solution, Roche will go ahead with its takeover offer, Humer was quoted as saying by the Zurich-based weekly newspaper today. Expanding into tissue-based diagnostics, as proposed by Ventana, is a “strategically important step” for Roche, he said.