The Irish pharmaceutical company Actavis has agreed to buy out rival New York City–based Forest Laboratories in a cash-and-stock deal worth nearly $25 billion, Market Watch reports. The combined company is now expected to draw more than $15 billion in revenue for 2015.

Actavis is known for its generic drugs for a variety of conditions. Forest has the brand-name antidepressant drug Lexapro and is developing a schizophrenia treatment. Forest also has the brand-name constipation drug Linzess and the brand-name hypertension drug Bystolic.

In addition, analysts said the proposed merger could offer a wider range of generic and brand-name medicines for other conditions such as hypertension, gastrointestinal illnesses and several neurological conditions. Both drug makers said the merger would position them to better deal with the changing health care landscape in the United States, which will allow them to negotiate more directly with hospitals, insurers and doctors.

To read the article, click here.