Content about Pharmaceutical companies

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Merck chairman Richard Clark is retiring, the company said Thursday.

Merck announced that Clark, who remained chairman of the company after stepping down as president and CEO in 2010, would retire from the company and its board of directors as of Dec. 1. Kenneth Frazier took over as president and CEO in January 2011, and the board has elected him to serve as chairman following Clark's departure.

PARIS — A drug under investigation by Sanofi for multiple sclerosis improved several measures of disease activity in patients, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial.

SALT LAKE CITY — Schiff Nutrition International on Wednesday named Shane Durkee SVP research and development.

“We welcome Shane and believe his proven track record in driving nutritional supplements innovation will contribute significantly to accelerating our new product program and organic growth," Schiff president and CEO Tarang Amin said.

HAWTHORNE, N.Y. — Taro Pharmaceutical Industries recently appointed a new member to its board, following the resignation of Hasmukh Shah.

Shah, who cited personal reasons for leaving the drug maker's board, was replaced by Dov Pekelman, who currently serves as chairman of both Atera Networks and Gilon Investments. Pekelman also served as senior consultant for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from 1985 to 2008.

Pekelman will serve until Taro's next annual general meeting of shareholders.

OSAKA, Japan — Drug maker Takeda has completed its acquisition of another drug maker.

Takeda said that the deal, valued at $13 billion, is in line with the company's 2011-2013 mid-range plan, and that Nycomed's significant business infrastructure in Europe and high-growth emerging markets will enhance Takeda's regulatory development expertise and commercialization capability.

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — AmerisourceBergen on Tuesday purchased TheraCom, a subsidiary of CVS Caremark that provides a wide range of support to pharmaceutical and biotechnology drug manufacturers, including consulting and reimbursement services, for $250 million.

TheraCom is a provider of commercialization support services to the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, specifically, providing reimbursement and patient access support services, and will join Lash Group as part of AmerisourceBergen Consulting Services.

CRANBURY, N.J. — GlaxoSmithKline and Amicus Therapeutics have started a late-stage clinical trial for a drug to treat a rare genetic disorder, the companies said.

GSK and Amicus announced the start of a second phase-3 trial of Amigal (migalastat hydrochloride) for Fabry disease, a rare lysosomal storage disorder that affects between 5,000 and 10,000 people worldwide. The market for Fabry disease has long been dominated by Genzyme, a subsidiary of French drug maker Sanofi that makes the biologic drug Fabrazyme (agalsidase beta).

It’s hard to disagree that generic drug companies have had a good run for the last several years. Branded drug companies developed a large number of drugs that proved highly effective at treating widespread medical conditions and became blockbusters, garnering billions of dollars in sales in the United States alone. As patents on these blockbuster drugs have expired, they’ve provided generic manufacturers with enormous revenues, helping some to join the ranks of the world’s biggest drug companies.


SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Genentech has applied for Food and Drug Administration approval of a drug for treating skin cancer, the drug maker said Monday.

Genentech, the U.S. division of Swiss drug maker Roche, submitted a new drug application to the FDA for vismodegib for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. BCC generally is curable through surgery, but if it advances, can cause disfigurement and debilitating effects and, in the long term, can be life-threatening.

NEW YORK — Ranbaxy Labs will launch its generic version of the world's top-selling drug as originally planned, according to published reports.

Citing Japan's Nikkei daily, Reuters reported that Gurgaon, India-based Ranbaxy would launch a generic version of Pfizer's cholesterol medication Lipitor (atorvastatin) at the end of November.

WASHINGTON — The Generic Pharmaceutical Association has named Ralph Neas as its new president and CEO, the group said Wednesday.

Neas, currently president and CEO of the National Coalition on Health Care, replaces Kathleen Jaeger, who stepped down as president and CEO of GPhA in May 2010 after eight years with the organization. The GPhA said it planned to spend September introducing Neas to stakeholders in a broad outreach effort.

NEW YORK — Pfizer and Dr. Reddy's have reached a settlement over the latter's efforts to launch a generic version of the world's top-selling drug, according to published reports.