January 4, 2007 Notes: ARmark partners with Security and Risk Management Group, Chattem acquires rights to 5 OTC brands from J&J, Gerresheimer acquires Wilden AG, more

St. Paul, MN (Jan. 2)—3M (www.3m.com) has completed the sale of its pharmaceuticals business in Europe to Meda AB (Solna, Sweden, www.meda.se). The transaction gives Meda the regional marketing and intellectiual property rights for many of 3M's branded pharmaceuticals.
 
Boulder, CO (Dec. 19)—Analytical Spectra Devices (ASD, www.asdi.com) plans to debut its portable drug anti-counterfeiting device, the RxSpec 700Z, at the upcoming IFPAC show. The device, the first of its kind in the industry, according to the company, verifies drugs in real time using near-infared spectroscopic technology.

Cramlington, Northumberland, UK (Dec. 14)—Angel Biotechnology Holdings plc (www.angelbio.com) has a new contract to provide services to Millipore Bioprocessing Ltd. (Billerica, MA, www.millipore.com) through 2007. Angel and Millipore have been working together since 2003. Work under the agreement will be conducted at Angel's process development and manufacturing facility in Cramlington.

Glen Rock, PA (Dec. 15)—ARmark Authetication Technologies, LLC has formed a partnership with Security and Risk Management Group to provide brand protection and risk-management services for companies facing global counterfeiting. ARmark's focus is on authetication technologies in the form of covert markets that can contain multiple layers of information. They are specifcally designed for each customer and can be applied to a variety of goods. SRMG fights counterfeiting through its global network of local, state, and federal law enformcement professionals and security investigators and consultants who identify loss vulnerability and recommend appropriate countermeasures.

Chattanooga, TN (Jan. 2)-Chattem, Inc. (www.chattem.com) acquired the US rights to five over-the-counter brands from Johnson & Johnson (J&J, New Brunswick, NJ, www.jnj.com) for $410 million. The Products include “Act” anti-cavity mouthwash, “Unisom” sleep aid, “Cortizone” hydrocortisone anti-itch product, “Kaopectate” anti-diarrea product, and “Balmex” diaper rash cream. Chattem acquired the products in connection with J&J’s recent acqusition of Pfizer, Inc.’s (New York, NY, www.pfizer.com) consumer healthcare business.

Dusseldorf, Germany (Jan. 3)—Gerresheimer Group (www.gerresheimer.com) has acquired medical plastic systems producer Wilden AG (Regensburg, Germany, www.wilden.de/WILDEN-AG_121_en.html). The acquisition is expected to add around €240 million to Gerresheimer's bottom line. Wilden's business is comprised of Medical Plastic Systems, which accounts for two thirds of the company's total sales, and Technical Plastic Systems.

Bristol, TN (Jan. 2)-Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC has completed its acquisition of 3M’s (St. Paul, MN, www.3m.com) pharmaceutical businesses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Latin America. The transaction, which closed with an approximately $875-million payment from Graceway, gives the company all of 3M’s branded pharmaceutical products in those regions. In addition, Graceway and 3M have entered into manufacturing agreements for the products as well as a technology access and development agreement. In other news, Graceway announced that Chester Valley Pharmaceuticals (Malvern, PA, www.chestervalleypharma.com) has been fully merged into Graceway.

Philadelphia, PA (Jan. 3)-Lannett Company, Inc. (www.lannett.com) has signed a research agreement with PharmaSeed Bioservices (Ness Ziona, Israel, www.pharmaseedltd.com). PharmaSeed will formulate a certain topical pharmaceutical product and Lannett will assemble, submit, and own the abbreviated new drug application for this product and market the product in the US once it is approved. Lannett will also have worldwide distribution rights to the product and will be responsible for submitting applications with appropriate international regulatory authorities.

Whitehouse Station, NJ (Dec. 29)-Merck & Co., Inc. (www.merck.com) has completed its previously-announced acquisition of Sirna Therapeutics, Inc. (San Francisco, CA, www.sirna.com).

Boston, MA (Jan. 2)-PerkinElmer, Inc. (www.perkinelmer.com) has acquired a line of dynamic mechanical analysis products from Triton Technology Ltd. (Keyworth, Nottinhamshire, UK, www.triton-technology.co.uk). The acquisition provides PerkinElmer with a best-in-class thermal analysis tool, according to PerkinElmer president, Robert F. Friel.

Goettingen, Germany (Jan. 3)-Sartorius AG (www.sartorius.com) has acquired all shares in Toha Plast GmbH (Göttingen, Germany, www.toha-med.de). Acquiring Toha Plast, which develops and manufactures plastic components for the medical and botechnology industries, allows Sartorius to expand its technological expertise in the field of plastics.

Washington, DC (Dec. 21)-The Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association's (SOCMA, www.socma.com) ChemSortia is partnering with laboratory and consulting firm NOTOX (Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, www.notox.nl). The partnership will allow ChemSortia to provide assistance to consortium members in complying with the requirements of the Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) legislation. SOCMA also plans to launch the International Center for Sustainable Chemistry as part of a green chemistry initiative. The US Environmental Protection Agency (Washington, DC, www.epa.gov) will be serving a technical advisory role. SOCMA will hold a kick-off meeting in March 2007. SOCMA is the US trade association for custom and batch manufacturers.

People Notes

Palo Alto, CA (Jan. 3)—Capnia, Inc. (www.capnia.com), a company that focuses on developing new drugs to treat migraine headaches and allergic rhinitis, has appointed Joseph J. Vallner, PhD, president and chief executive officer. Vallner joins the company from Cell Genesys, where he was president and chief operating officer.
 
Summit, NJ (Jan. 2)—The Board of Directors of Celgene Corporation (www.celgene.com) has elected chief executive officer Sol J. Barer, PhD, chairman of the board. Barer has served the company since 1993 and has been chief executive officer since May 2006.

Rockville, MD (Dec. 21)-Randall Lutter, PhD, will take the position of acting deputy commissioner for policy with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA, www.fda.gov). Lutter will provide guidance and input on all agency matters and will serve as lead advisor to the commissioner on agency policy. He joined FDA in 2003 as chief economist in the office of planning and most recently served as the associate commissioner of policy and planning.

Buena, NJ (Dec. 28)-Skincare and consumer product manufacturer IGI, Inc (www.askigi.com) has appointed Rajiv Mathur president and CEO. Mathur is currently vice-president of skincare at Cardinal Health PTS. He previously headed IGI's consumer products division from 1998 to 2001.

Boulder, CO (Dec. 27)-Donald H. Picker, PhD, has been appointed president of Tapestry Pharmaceuticals (www.tapestrypharma.com). In this role, he will lead the company's internal research efforts and preclinical and clinical development of the product pipeline. In addition, he will establish a New Jersey-based office to house clinical development.