August 9, 2007 Notes: Abraxis Acquires Manufacturing Facility, Genentech Acquires Tanox, More

Company Notes

Los Angles, CA (Aug. 1)-Abraxis BioScience, Inc., an integrated, global biopharmaceutical company, acquired from Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a sterile injectable manufacturing facility located in Phoenix, Arizona. This facility, which has the ability to manufacture lyophilized powders, suspension products, and aqueous and oil solutions, currently manufactures products for both Watson and other third parties.

London(Aug. 2)-AstraZeneca selected Kuehne + Nagel to handle part of its exports of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products from Europe to the rest of the world. Under the agreement, Kuehne + Nagel will supply a complete solution for the transportation by air and sea of products indicated for therapeutic categories, including oncology and anesthetics, as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Aliso Viejo, CA (Aug. 6)-AVANIR Pharmaceuticals completed the sale of currently marketed, antipsychotic drug “FazaClo” (clozapine, USP) to Azur Pharma, a specialty pharmaceutical company headquartered in Ireland. AVANIR received upfront payment of $43.9 million and is eligible for total payments of as much as $54 million.

Kankakee, IL (Aug. 1)-CSL Behring will invest $15 million to expand its manufacturing facility by adding a high-speed, single-dose syringe-filling line. Plans call for the line to be operational in 2010, when the company intends to contract with its sister company, CSL Biotherapies, to provide filling and packaging services for seasonal influenza vaccine.

South San Francisco, CA (Aug. 2)-Genentech, Inc. announced that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act has expired and it has completed the acquisition of Tanox, Inc. Tanox shareholders approved the merger agreement on January 15, 2007.

Bad Vilbel, Germany (Aug. 3)-STADA acquired the Russian pharmaceuticals group MAKIZ through a contract on the purchase of 100% of the shares of ZAO MAKIZ-Pharma, ZAO Skopinpharm and ZAO Biodyne Pharmaceuticals. The contract was concluded by STADA’s Russian subsidiary Nizhpharm OAO, Nizhny Novgorod. The staggered purchase price, which partly depends on the results of fiscal year 2007, is expected to amount to a total of approx. EUR 125 million ($172 million) less net debt of the group at closing, but will be EUR 135 million ($186 million) at maximum.

People Notes

Abbott Park, IL (Aug. 3)-Richard A. Gonzalez, president and chief operating officer, and a member of Abbott’s board of directors, plans to retire after a 30-year career with the company. Gonzalez will remain with Abbott until Sept. 30, 2007.

Thousand Oaks, CA (Aug. 2)-Amgen announced that Dennis Fenton, executive vice-president of operations, has elected to retire at the end of 2007 after 25 years with the company.

San Diego, CA (Aug. 2)-BioDuro, LLC, a life sciences outsourcing company for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry with headquarters in San Diego, CA, and laboratory facilities in Beijing, China, appointed Steven M. Hutchins to the position of vice-president, business development and collaboration management.

Richmond, VA (July 31)-Chesapeake Corporation named John McKeough vice-president of operations for its Chesapeake Pharmaceutical Packaging, North America (CPP-NA) subsidiary. Prior to joining CPP– NA, McKeough served as plant manager for Graphic Packaging International in Cincinnati.

Pine Brook, NJ (July 30)-Elusys Therapeutics, Inc., a privately-held biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary heteropoloymer antibodies, announced that James P. Porter was promoted to vice-president of development and manufacturing, expanding the senior executive management team.

Paris (Aug. 1)-David J. Williams relinquished his titles of president and chief executive officer of Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the Sanofi-Aventis group. He will continue to serve as chairman of the board of Sanofi Pasteur until January 16, 2008, which will also mark his 30th anniversary with the company. His successor will be Wayne Pisano, formerly senior vice-president, global commercial operations and corporate strategy.

Corona, CA (Aug. 2)-Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that Allen Chao, Ph.D., 61, its chairman, president and chief executive officer, will retire as president and chief executive officer, effective September 4, 2007. Chao will be succeeded by Paul M. Bisaro, 46, currently president and chief operating officer of Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (Woodcliff Lake, NJ), who has been named president and chief executive officer of Watson, effective September 4, 2007. Bruce L. Downey, Barr’s chairman and chief executive officer, will assume these responsibilities on an interim basis.