To say that Timo Veromaa, CEO of Biotie Therapies Oyj was not best pleased with Merck Serono SA's surprise decision to exit a partnership with Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA on the Parkinson's drug safinamide would be an understatement.The timing of the announcement – smack in the middle of Biotie's proposed takeover of Newron – "is completely unorthodox," he told BioWorld International. "To drop the ball right in the middle of [a pivotal Phase III program] is astonishing."