Bio/Pharma Business

While some companies float with the tide, others grab market share while business is good.

Cambridge, MA (May 30)-Genzyme agreed to buy its US partner Bioenvision (New York) in an all-cash transaction worth $345 million.

Preferred models for clinical and nonclinical services move in opposite directions.

Trenton, NJ (May 18)-Pharmaceutical and medical technology companies in New Jersey have found a striking disparity between six high-demand occupations and the number of qualified workers to fill those positions, according to a report issued by the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey.

Mumbai, India (May 21)-Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and its subsidiaries signed definitive agreements to acquire Taro Pharmaceutical Industries, a generics manufacturer with subsidiaries and manufacturing operations in the United States, Canada, and Israel.

Darmstadt, Germany (May 13)-Mylan Laboratories Inc. and Merck KGaA have signed a share purchase agreement under which Mylan will acquire all of Merck's worldwide operations within Merck Generics, the company?s generics business.

Boston, MA (May 8)-The global biotechnology industry showed several positive signs in 2006, including increases in overall revenues and financing, although the industry as a whole continues to operate at a loss, according to Ernst & Young's annual analysis of the biotechnology industry.

Devens, MA, Montes Claros, Brazil, and Florence, SC (May 2)-Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Novo Nordisk A/S, and Roche provided updates to their companies? respective manufacturing expansions.

London (Apr. 23)-AstraZeneca PLC agreed to acquire MedImmune, Inc. for approximately $15.6 billion. The deal is expected to close in June 2007.

Interphex2007, New York, NY (Apr. 25)-The future of the life science industry lies in biotechnology, and the industry is set to see more heated debates on healthcare and drug safety, according to G. Steven Burrill, chief executive officer of Burrill & Company, who presented today?s keynote address, "The Future of the Life Science Industry."

Interphex2007, New York, NY (Apr. 24)?Reflecting the advances of the pharmaceutical industry as a whole and the success of individual companies in the growth of the pharmaceutical industry, Bill Cook, founder and CEO of Cook Group Inc. in a keynote address at Interphex2007 described the benefits of keeping a company private and touched on the future of medical devices.

Toronto (Apr. 17)-Patheon, Inc. plans to restructure its current network of six pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in southern Ontario, Canada as part of its strategy to focus on manufacturing prescription pharmaceutical products and to improve its profitability.

Chalfont St. Giles, UK (Apr. 16)-GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric, acquired Wave Biotech LLC, a supplier of disposable manufacturing technologies and processing equipment for the biopharmaceutical industry.

Forty years ago, investors and business speculators shuddered at the prospect of working with India's pharmaceutical industry. The industry was plagued by archaic patent laws and insufficient infrastructure, and only multinational companies (MNCs) were able to exploit its crude resources and monopolistic legal framework. Struggling in the shadows of these MNCs were the Indian pharmaceutical entrepreneurs and a handful of producers. Because more than 70% of the pharmaceutical market value was in the hands of MNCs, India's indigenous pharmaceutical industry was floundering. Its amount of exports was negligible, and the domestic market outlook was bleak because of onerous government regulation.

The pharmaceutical industry plans moderate increases in spending for equipment and machinery in 2007 as expenditures hold steady.

As big pharmaceutical companies restructure and reevaluate the way they do business, contract research and manufacturing organizations could reap greater financial rewards.

Berlin and Basel, Switzerland (Mar. 26)-Bayer Schering Pharma AG and Novartis reached an agreement over multiple sclerosis therapy ?Betaseron.?

Paris (Mar. 15)-Sanofi-Aventis plans to close its manufacturing site in Waterford, Ireland.

Bangalore, India, (March 14)-Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is expanding its research and development (R&D) capabilities in India.

Kenilworth, NJ (Mar. 12)-Schering-Plough Corporation agreed to acquire Organon BioSciences N.V., the human and animal health businesses of Akzo Nobel N.V., for EUR 11 billion ($14.4 billion) in cash.

Gurgaon, Haryana, India (Mar. 13)-Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited confirmed that it has made a nonbinding bid for the generic drug business of Merck KGaA.

Berlin, Germany (Mar. 2)-Estimating it would save approximately EUR 700 million ($917.7 million), Bayer HealthCare will integrate the activities of its Pharma division with those of the former Schering AG, Germany.

As big pharmaceutical companies restructure and reevaluate the way they do business, contract research and manufacturing organizations could reap greater financial rewards.

London (Feb. 22)-AstraZeneca unveiled further details of its plan to reduce staff at certain production facilities and announced a $120-million investment in a new process research and development (PR&D) facility in the United Kingdom.

Princeton, NJ (Feb. 15, 2007)-Ranbaxy Inc., confirmed that federal officials conducted a search of its New Jersey offices on Feb. 14, 2007 and commented on its reported plan to acquire Merck's generics business.

InformexUSA, San Francisco (Feb. 14?16)-Several contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) and technology providers used InformexUSA to announce plans to expand manufacturing capabilities, increase service offerings, and ramp up other investments.

InformexUSA, San Francisco (Feb. 12?Feb. 14)-Custom manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates are gathered at InformexUSA this week, with companies announcing investment plans and unveiling new technology

InformexUSA, San Francisco (Feb. 14)-NPIL Pharma unveiled a $100-million investment program in formulation development and manufacturing services.

InformexUSA, San Francisco (Feb. 14)-Almac Sciences plans to collaborate for cytotoxic fill-and-finish services with the Center for Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (CPST) at the University of Kentucky.

St. Louis, MO, (Feb. 8)-SAFC, the custom manufacturing and fine chemicals unit of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, is seeking to build a footprint in Asia, eying possible acquisitions in India and China.