U.S. drugmaker Pfizer is not giving up on an attempt to buy the British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, maker of such celebrated medicines as Crestor. The proposed price of $98.9 billion dollars has sent AstraZenaca’s share prices flying high — up as much as 15% in recent days. A previous offer was rebuffed by the British company. In a statement, Pfizer said AstraZeneca had declined to engage in discussions on two occasions and the U.S. group was now considering its options. AstraZeneca urged its shareholders to take no action and said it remained confident of its independent strategy.
