Company and People Notes: Millipore and Novozymes Form Alliance, Applied Biosystems Names President and CEO, More

Philadelphia (Dec. 21)-FMC BioPolymer, a unit of FMC Corporation, a diversified chemical company, will expand its microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) production at the company’s Newark, Delaware, plant. The expansion, expected to be completed by the end of 2008, will support the growth in demand for FMC’s MCC products for pharmaceutical and food products markets. The company operates a second MCC manufacturing plant in Cork, Ireland.

Billerica, MA (Dec. 11)-Millipore and Novozymes (Bagsvaerd, Denmark) announced an agreement to develop, market, and sell new, animal-free, cell-culture supplements for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Novozymes will manufacture the new products, which will be marketed under the brand name “CellPrime” and sold through Millipore’s sales organization. The alliance will initially focus on developing recombinant human albumin and recombinant human transferrin.  

Toronto (Dec. 19)-PharmEng International announced that its subsidiary, Keata Pharma, entered into an agreement with Pfizer Canada for Keata to purchase Pfizer’s manufacturing facility in Arnprior, Canada, including inventory. Keata will also enter into supply agreements with Pfizer for the exclusive manufacture of certain Pfizer products for Canada at the Arnprior facility for a period of three years. In addition, Keata will manufacture products for two other major pharmaceutical clients at the facility.

Lebanon, PA (Dec. 19)-SCHOTT North America was awarded $800,000 in federal funding to research the interaction between biotherapeutic drugs and glass packaging. Such interactions can lead to drug loss through adsorption, aggregation, and precipitation, which diminishes the effectiveness of these drugs. SCHOTT will study the interaction between biotherapeutics and glass and develop new glass packaging technologies that extend the shelf life of these kinds of drugs. One goal of the research is to improve the government’s ability to stockpile ready-to-inject vaccines and treatments, and thus speed its response to bioterror attacks and pandemics.

Waltham, MA (Dec. 20)-Thermo Fisher Scientific acquired La-Pha-Pack (Langerwehe, Germany), a manufacturer and provider of chromatography consumables and related products. La-Pha-Pack will be integrated into Thermo Fisher Scientific’s laboratory consumables business, which is part of its laboratory products and services segment.

People Notes

Dallas (Dec. 26)-The board of directors of Access Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company, appointed Chairman Jeffrey B. Davis to the additional role of chief executive officer. Stephen R. Seiler resigned as president and CEO of the company for health reasons. Seiler has also resigned from the board of directors.

London (Dec. 19)-Amarin announced that Rick Stewart, the company’s chief executive officer, has resigned effective immediately to pursue other business interests. Thomas Lynch, Amarin’s chairman since 2000, has been appointed CEO, also effective immediately. The company announced the appointment of Alan Cooke, currently chief financial officer, to the additional position of president and chief operating officer. Cooke is a member of the company’s board of directors.

Foster City, CA (Dec. 20)-Applera named Mark P. Stevenson president and chief operating officer of its Applied Biosystems Group and a senior vice president of the corporation. Stevenson has been with the company since 1998 and has been the executive vice president of Applied Biosystems since July 2007.

Princeton, NJ (Dec. 18)-Wendel Barr has been named Covance’s chief operating officer, effective January 1, 2008. Barr, who is currently president of early development North America, will assume operating responsibility for Covance’s business units worldwide and will report to Joe Herring, Covance’s chairman and chief executive officer.

Bothell, WA (Dec. 20)-Nastech Pharmaceutical, a biopharmaceutical company, promoted Gordon Brandt, MD, to president of the company. Brandt previously held the title of executive vice-president of clinical research and medical affairs. Steven Quay will remain the company’s chairman and chief executive officer.

Iselin, NJ (Dec. 18)-Pharmos, a biopharmaceutical company, announced that president and chief operating officer Alan Rubino has elected to resign from the company to pursue new leadership opportunities. Rubino joined Pharmos in November 2005 and was instrumental in the acquisition of Vela Pharmaceuticals completed in October 2006.