Credit Suisse First Boston and Lazard are advising Novartis, the Swiss pharmaceuticals company, which is understood to be putting the finishing touches to a "white knight" bid for Aventis, the Franco-German pharmaceuticals company.
According to banking sources, Novartis could launch an offer next week, in order to scupper the existing €46bn hostile bid for Aventis by Sanofi-Synthélabo, the French pharmaceuticals firm.