08.09.2010

Glaxosmithkline Hires Goldman Sachs Banker as new Chief Financial Officer

Glaxosmithkline said on Wednesday it had hired Goldman Sachs investment banker Simon Dingemans to succeed Chief Financial Officer Julian Heslop, 59, who will retire next March. Dingemans has more than 25 years experience in investment banking and most recently led Goldman Sachs' european M&A business, Britain's largest drugmaker said. more08.09.2010

Thermo Fisher Scientific Adds Vialis Paperless Lab Solutions to its Global Partner Alliance

Thermo Fisher Scientific today announced that it has extended its reach across Central Europe by making Vialis the latest member of its informatics global partner alliance. Vialis, based in Switzerland, will provide local services and support for the full range of thermo scientific informatics solutions, including laboratory information management systems, chromatography data systems, electronic laboratory notebooks and spectroscopy software, as well as comprehensive laboratory automation and integration solutions.
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Merck Sees Fast Ruling in Johnson and Johnson's Remicade Arbitration

Merck said an arbitration panel would look in late September at whether the company is entitled to overseas rights to Remicade and Simponi, Johnson & Johnson's important rheumatoid arthritis drugs. Merck has said it acquired those rights to the drugs with its $41 billion purchase of Schering-Plough Corp last November. In a regulatory filing, Merck said the arbitration involving blockbuster arthritis treatment Remicade and a potentially lucrative newer drug called Simponi would take place in New York and probably last no more than 12 business days. more08.09.2010

U.S. to Use BP Cash to Study Spill Health Effects

The U.S. National Institutes of Health said on Tuesday it would use $10 million from BP to start a multiyear study to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The NIH has already designated another $10 million to begin the study, which will look at the health effects on clean-up workers from oil and dispersants, including respiratory, neurobehavioral, carcinogenic, and immune conditions. The study will also include mental health concerns and other spill-related problems such as job loss, family disruption and financial uncertainty. more08.09.2010

Sanofi CEO Meets Genzyme Holders, Mulls Next Move

Sanofi-Aventis Chief Executive Chris Viehbacher has stepped up his campaign to win Genzyme by meeting shareholders of the U.S. biotech company face to face, the French company said Tuesday. Genzyme last week rejected an all-cash $18.5 billion takeover offer from the French drugmaker, setting the stage for a potentially hostile takeover battle. But Viehbacher has made it clear he would rather get his opposite number, Henri Termeer, to the negotiating table and is keen to sound out investors before making his next move. more08.09.2010

Rio Tinto in Russia to Meet Uralkali

Representatives of Rio Tinto have come to Russia to visit potash producer Uralkali which is seen as a potential acquisition target for the mining giant, Vedomosti reported on Wednesday. Rio Tinto, along with Potash, could buy into Uralkali as Russia seeks a full overhaul of the fertilisers industry, sources told press representatives last month, adding that talks were at an early stage. more08.09.2010

AkzoNobel Buys Chinese Vehicle Refinish Supplier

AkzoNobel is to significantly boost its presence in the Chinese automotive market after agreeing to acquire Changzhou Prime Automotive Paint. Financial details were not disclosed. Prime is one of China's largest vehicle refinish suppliers and a leader in the fast-growing mid-market segment. This sector is estimated to double in size within the next five years. Based in Jiangsu Province, the company develops, manufactures, markets and distributes automotive coatings, primarily for the refinish market. more08.09.2010

Lonza Signs Manufacturing Deal with Glaxosmithkline

Swiss drugs industry supplier Lonza will manufacture a number of drug compounds for Britain's Glaxosmithkline, in a sign demand for the Swiss group's  products is recovering. Lonza said it would support the ongoing development of GSK's biopharmaceutical pipeline by supplying manufacturing capacity for five early stage monoclonal antibodies. Lonza will initially manufacture clinical trial batches of five compounds currently in Phase 1 and 2 for GSK, it said. The group did not give any financial details of the deal. more