In its bid to takeover the minority shareholders of Genentech Inc, the Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG has made its offer more tempting - with the new proposition of $45.7 billion upgrading its offer of $86.50 a share to $93 a share!

Along with the 7.5 percent haul in its bid, for the 44 percent of Genentech that it does not own, Roche has also extended its tender offer by a week, from March 13 to March
20; the other terms and conditions of the deal remaining unaffected.

According to a statement by the company, out of the almost 465 million shares that it does not already hold, it has till now received receipts for only 500,000 shares.

Even though Roche considered its initial offer price for the San Francisco-based Genentech "fair," the company's Chairman Franz Humer said: "We are increasing our price to $93 per share to maximize shareholder participation and will proceed quickly to complete all necessary financing."

However, most analysts opine that at its $86.50 offer - which was even below Roche's $89 offer turned down by Genentech - the company had hardly chance of success; but, at the new offer price, Roche now has a 75 percent chance.

According to Geoffrey Porges, a Sanford Bernstein analyst, the new offer is "significantly more difficult for minority shareholders to turn down."