Big Pharma relying on deals with small biotech firms in the wake of financial crisis

Large drug companies like Roche are increasingly making deals with smaller biotech developers to diversify their research projects. As a result of the economic crisis, small biotech firms have seen a significant decrease in funding from private equity, hedge funds, and venture capitalists. Roche's shares outperformed the sector this year due in part to collaboration with US biotech Plexxikon.