Company and People Notes: GSK Hires Jacobs Engineering Group, Agilent Exec to Retire, More

Company Notes

Edison, NJ (Aug. 27)-Heritage Pharmaceuticals and Ipca Laboratories (Mumbai, India) entered into a strategic alliance for the development, supply and marketing of generic pharmaceutical products for the US prescription drug market. Under the agreement, Ipca Laboratories will develop and register selected products for US abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) submission, and Heritage Pharmaceuticals retains sales and marketing rights to such products. The parties will share net profits from the sales proceeds post-launch.

Pasadena, CA (Aug 21)-Jacobs Engineering Group’s Singapore operations were selected by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as its alliance contractor at the two GSK manufacturing facilities in Singapore. Officials did not disclose the contract value of this multimillion dollar, two-year contract. Jacobs will provide engineering, procurement, project management, construction management, and validation services.

Lancaster, PA (Aug. 28)-Lancaster Laboratories, a commercial analytical laboratory, acquired Microchem Laboratories, located in County Waterford, Ireland. Established in 1986, Microchem offers microbiological, chemical and environmental analyses to the pharmaceutical, medical device, food and chemical industries in Europe and Asia.

Gaithersburg, MD (Aug. 23)-MedImmune licensed its proprietary reverse genetics intellectual property to Novartis (Basel, Switzerland) to support the development and construction of new vaccine strains to produce inactivated human seasonal, prepandemic and pandemic influenza vaccines. Reverse genetics is a method by which viruses such as influenza can be generated from segments of DNA. Many influenza vaccine manufacturing companies and governmental agencies use reverse genetics technology in their development of pandemic vaccine candidates because it allows them to avoid working directly with the infectious, circulating pandemic strains.

Annapolis, MD (Aug. 28)-The Delaware Chancery Court determined that the merger between PharmAthene, a biodefense company, and Healthcare Acquisition (Des Moines, IA) was validly approved and authorized in full compliance with the company’s charter and Delaware corporate law. As is generally the case with decisions of the Court of Chancery, this decision will be subject to appeal for 30 days in accordance with Delaware law.

Waltham, MA (Aug 29)-Phase Forward, a data-management company, announced a multiyear alliance agreement with AAIPharma, (Wilmington, NC) a global contract research organization. Under the terms of the contract, AAIPharma will offer services centered around two Phase Forward products as part of its solution set: the “InForm” integrated trial management (ITM) electronic data capture (EDC) system and the “Clintrial” clinical data management product that can be used to collect, manage and review electronically captured and paper-based study data.

People Notes

Santa Clara, CA (Aug 24)-Agilent Technologies announced that Chris van Ingen, president of the company’s bio-analytical measurement business, will retire on Oct. 31, 2007, the last day of Agilent’s fiscal year.

Cambridge, MA (Aug. 23)-The ALS Therapy Development Institute, a research organization engaged in the discovery and development of a cure for ALS, announced that its board of directors accepted the resignation of founder James “Jamie” Heywood as chief executive officer. Sean Scott was chosen by the board to lead the Institute, continuing as president in a planned transition that began earlier this year.

San Diego, CA (Aug. 24)-Anadys Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company, promoted Steve Worland, PhD, to the position of president and chief executive officer. He will replace Lawrence C. Fritz, PhD, who plans to pursue other opportunities.

Menlo Park, CA (Aug. 27)-Depomed announced the retirement of Dr. John Fara, the company’s chairman, president, and chief executive officer. Fara will continue to serve as a director and a consultant. Carl A. Pelzel was named president and chief executive officer and to the company’s board of directors.

San Diego, CA (Aug. 23)-eBioscience named Todd R. Nelson, PhD, to chief executive officer of eBioscience, effective immediately. Lily Lai, eBioscience’s founder, will remain as president during a transition period. Nelson will also join eBioscience’s board of directors.

Provo, UT (Aug. 28)-GeNOsys, a medical research and development company specializing in pharmaceutical, biotechnical, and medical gas-generating systems, selected Brett A. Blake as its new president.

South San Francisco, CA (Aug 24)-Hana Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company, named Steven R. Deitcher, MD, as the company’s new president and chief executive officer, effective immediately.

Lafayette Hill, PA (Aug. 28)-Integrated Project Services, an engineering, procurement, construction management, and validation company, appointed Patrick Bucklen, to the position of senior director of international projects. Bucklen will assume the leadership role to develop international projects for pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients worldwide.

New York (Aug 28)-Neuro-Hitech, a biopharmaceutical company, named Dr. Gary Shearman as president and chief executive officer. Shearman was also elected to the company’s board of directors, replacing L. William McIntosh.

Wakefield, MA (Aug. 22)-The board of directors of NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals named Thomas E. Gardner as chairman, president, and chief executive officer of the company effective immediately. Gardner replaces Barry M. Heck as chairman and Scott H. Gillis as president and chief executive officer. Gillis is resigning his management and board positions to pursue new opportunities. Heck will remain as a director.

New York (Aug. 24)-OMRIX Biopharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company, appointed Ana I. Stancic, as executive vice-president and chief financial officer effective October 1, 2007.