Actavis to take on Allergan name following completion of merger

Actavis has announced that it will unifying its global brand portfolio under the Allergan name once the merger of the companies is completed later this year.

The Allergan name will be adopted as the combined organisation's corporate name and applied to its global branded pharmaceutical portfolio, with the Actavis name being retained only for select geographic regions and product portfolios.

Though the name change remains subject to approval by Actavis' shareholders at its next annual general meeting, the company has already expressed confidence that the decision will enhance its industry status and aid the development of a unified culture within the new-look business.

Brent Saunders, chief executive officer and president of Actavis, said: "By adopting the Allergan name for the corporation we will ensure that our corporate identity reflects the dramatic evolution of our company within the pharmaceutical industry."

Valued at $66 billion (42.77 billion pounds), the takeover will create one of the world's largest healthcare organisations and follows Actavis' recent acquisitions of Warner Chilcott and Forest Laboratories.

The decision to rebrand mirrors that of Actavis' predecessor Watson Pharmaceuticals, which chose to take up the Actavis name following its 2013 takeover of the old Actavis Group.