Could Pfizer nab AstraZeneca with pipeline-based payouts? Maybe, but cash is easier

When Sanofi ($SNY) bought Genzyme, the deal was clinched on a contingent value right (CVR) based on the potential multiple sclerosis treatment Lemtrada. Could Pfizer ($PFE) do the same thing to win over AstraZeneca ($AZN)? Some analysts think so. But others think it's too complicated, given AstraZeneca's range of pipeline treatments and long-term timeframe. The simpler alternative: More cash. Report