Today, Fool.com healthcare bureau chief Brenton Flynn looks at AstraZeneca's brand-new CEO's announcement that the company is suspending share repurchases effective immediately. Given that AstraZeneca is facing a major patent cliff on the horizon, this is likely a wise decision. It will need to keep that powder dry in the event that they have to perform an acquisition.

There have been whispers that Forest Laboratories is the most likely target. While the two certainly have synergies, there are risks as well, particularly differences across the companies' R&D structure. 

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