July 5, 2007 Notes: Albany Molecular Research Acquires Manufacturing Sites, Bespak Restructures, More

Company Notes

Albany, NY (July 2)-Albany Molecular Research (AMRI, Albany, NY) acquired two pharmaceutical manufacturing sites and land for expansion in Aurangabad and Navi Mumbai, India for approximately $11 million in cash. On May 21, 2007 AMRI agreed to acquire the assets of Ariane Orgachem Pvt. Ltd. (Aurangabad, India) and Ferico Laboratories Ltd. (Navi Mumbai, India) from the Runwal Group (Mumbai). The facilities currently manufacture pharmaceutical intermediates and bulk active ingredients, including treatments for diabetes, heart disease, and asthma. AMRI also has obtained additional land in Aurangabad and will invest approximately $15 million to expand and upgrade manufacturing capabilities during the next three years.

Bucks, UK (June 28)-Bespak, a producer of devices for inhaled drug delivery and anesthesia, announced that, as a result of the slow sales of ?Exubera? inhaled insulin, the company began a consultation process with its employees to identify redundancies among the 160 employees who produce the inhaler at its Milton Keynes facility. The costs of the staff reductions are recoverable by Bespak under the terms of its contract with Nektar Therapeutics (San Carlos, CA).

Tokyo (June 26)-Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. and its US subsidiary, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. (Parsippany, NJ), commenced litigation against Mylan (Canonsburg, PA) in the US District Court for the State of New Jersey. Daiichi Sankyo accuses Mylan of infringing its US patent for olmesartan medoxomil, an active ingredient in Daiichi Sankyo?s antihypertensive drug, ?Benicar HCT.? Mylan filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application with the US Food and Drug Administration to market a generic version of the Benicar HCT drug.

Midland, MI (July 2)-The Dow Chemical Company created a new specialty business named Dow Wolff Cellulosics (Bomlitz, Germany). The new entity encompasses all the activities of what were previously Wolff Walsrode and Dow?s water-soluble polymers business. The new business will speialize in cellulosics and related chemistries and provide application formulation expertise and technical services to the pharmaceutical and personal-care industries.

Cambridge, MA (July 2)-Genzyme announced that a motion for a preliminary injunction to delay the company?s proposed acquisition of Bioenvision (New York) was withdrawn in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Genzyme waived the condition to its tender offer that it acquire at least 50% of Bioenvision?s outstanding shares and extended the offer until July 10, 2007.

Austin, TX (July 2)-Introgen Therapeutics announced that the US Patent and Trademark Office awarded it a patent covering adenovirus compositions, including its ?Advexin? product. The patent is titled ?Formulations of Adenovirus for Gene Therapy? and relates to improved pharmaceutical formulations for the long-term storage of adenoviruses.

Goettingen, Germany (June 29)-The biotechnology division of Sartorius combined with Stedim (Aubagne, France), and Sartorius acquired a share package from Stedim?s founders. Stedim?s shareholders approved the transaction, and Sartorius gained a controlling stake in the new company, Sartorius Stedim Biotech.

Rockville, MD (July 2)-The US Food and Drug Administration notified SGS India Private Limited (Mumbai) that it had classified the company?s quality-control testing laboratory in Chennai as ?acceptable.? The preapproval and GMP inspection was conducted in February 2007.

Pittsburgh, PA (July 2)-Thar Instruments, a company that designs, develops, and manufactures supercritical-fluid chromatography (SFC) systems, acquired the Berger SFC division of Mettler Toledo (Columbus, OH). Berger SFC develops SFC and provides SFC analysis and purification. The combination of the two supercritical-fluid technology companies will enable them to pursue new technologies and applications and expand the support and service of their global pharmaceutical customers.

Prague (July 2)-Zentiva N.V. acquired 75% of the share capital of Eczacibasi Saglik Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. and 75% of the share capital of EOS Eczacibasi Ozgun Kimyasal Urunler Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. (known collectively as Eczacibasi Generic Pharmaceuticals). Zentiva purchased Eczacibasi Generic Pharmaceuticals from EIS Eczacibasi Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. for EUR 460 million ($626 million) in cash.

People Notes

Princeton, NJ (June 27)-Lisa Flood joined Agile Therapeutics as associate director of regulatory and quality assurance. Flood most recently worked as senior manager of clinical research at Valera Pharmaceuticals. Her experience includes the development of standard operating procedures, regulatory submissions, and clinical operations.

Ludwigshafen, Germany (July 2)-BASF appointed Felix Goerth, PhD, its global business manager of inorganic specialties for life sciences. He will be based in Evans City, Pennsylvania. Goerth joined BASF in May 2000 and most recently served as global strategic marketing manager of herbicides.

Cambridge, MA (June 29)-Biogen Idec announced that Peter Kellogg, its executive vice-president of finance and chief financial officer (CFO) will leave the organization to become CFO at Merck & Co., Inc.

Stamford, CT (June 25)-Purdue Pharma L.P. named John H. Stewart its acting president. Stewart succeeds Michael Friedman, who retired as president and chief executive officer after 22 years with the company. Stewart will lead Purdue Pharma in the United States and continue to serve as president of Purdue Pharma, Canada.

Madison, NJ (June 28)-Greg Norden was named senior vice-president and chief financial officer of Wyeth. Norden previously was executive vice-president and chief financial officer at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and has been with the company since 1989.