Dispersing the operation if things didn't pan out is actually the wrong approach and probably partly to blame for the poor results in Pharma these days. If you

Dispersing the operation if things didn't pan out is actually the wrong approach and probably partly to blame for the poor results in Pharma these days. If you disband a research operation you lose all informal knowledge, and if you sell off assets separately you have to reassemble the instrument park again to start another company. In the past, when there were industrial research labs, the scientists and equipmetn would stay and be reassigned to another project.