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This may be the year of the legacy brands as two companies that recently acquired separate brand portfolios from GlaxoSmithKline focus on reinvigorating consumer attention to their respective product lines.


Prestige Brands will be adding 17 former GSK brands to its stable of legacy brands that already includes Luden’s and Dramamine. The company recently identified the five key GSK-acquired brands that Prestige will be focusing on in terms of both marketing support and new product development — BC, Goody’s, Debrox, Gaviscon and Beano.


IRVINGTON, N.Y. — Prestige Brands Holdings on Monday announced that it has completed the purchase of the two remaining brands of the 17 brands it agreed to acquire from GlaxoSmithKline; the purchase of Debrox ear wax remover and Gly-Oxide oral rinse completes the transaction.

For all 17 brands, Prestige paid a total of $660 million in cash plus a customary post-closing inventory adjustment under the original terms of the agreements.

IRVINGTON, N.Y. — Prestige on Tuesday acquired 17 over-the-counter brands from GlaxoSmithKline for a total of $660 million in cash. Among the brands Prestige acquired are the pain relievers BC, Goody's and Ecotrin brands; digestive brands Beano, Gaviscon, Phazyme, Tagamet and Fiber Choice; and the Sominex sleep aid brand.

PITTSBURGH — GlaxoSmithKline's Consumer Healthcare division has appointed a former Kraft Foods executive as its new chief customer officer.

In his new role, Keith Loranger will be responsible for leading the GSK Consumer Healthcare’s sales function to increase sales and profit for the company’s oral health and wellness categories, including such brands as Aquafresh, NicoDerm CQ and Tums, among others. Prior to joining the company, Loranger served as Kraft Foods' customer VP international strategy after joining the company in 1985.

PITTSBURGH — GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare on Monday named John Graham chief marketing officer for Consumer Healthcare, North America.

BRUSSELS — GlaxoSmithKline has garnered strong interest in its portfolio of legacy brands that were placed on the sales block earlier this year, according to a Reuters report published Tuesday. And that interest is likely to pick up in the coming months, GSK CEO Andrew Witty told reporters during a meeting of pharmaceutical industry executives.

The interest is coming from both established consumer healthcare companies, as well as private equity houses, the report noted.

LONDON — GlaxoSmithKline on Thursday identified the remaining noncore over-the-counter brands that it intends to divest as the company focuses its Consumer Healthcare business around a portfolio of fast-growing priority brands and emerging markets.

GSK said it planned to contact companies interested in acquiring the brands over the next few weeks and expected to complete all divestitures by late 2011.

PITTSBURGH — Colin Mackenzie has been appointed the new president of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare North America. Mackenzie succeeds Roger Scarlett-Smith, who is relocating to London to become president of GSK Consumer Healthcare Europe.

Mackenzie has been directing the U.S. oral care business since 2007. Under the leadership of MacKenzie, the business accelerated its net sales growth rate, acquired the leading dry mouth product, Biotene, in 2008, and claimed the No. 1 toothpaste SKU in the United States (Sensodyne Extra Whitening).

LONDON — GlaxoSmithKline on Monday announced its acquisition from Darwin Private Equity of Maxinutrition, a U.K. company that manufactures protein-enhanced functional nutrition products.

“This deal will give GSK a strong presence in the fast-developing protein-based sports nutrition market, appealing across a broad spectrum of consumers, from elite athletes to sports participants and those seeking additional nutritional supplementation,” stated John Clarke, GSK Consumer Healthcare president.

PITTSBURGH GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare on Tuesday named Stacy Wallace to the newly created role of VP customer marketing and 360° Insights.

Under Wallace’s direction, the customer marketing and 360° Insights team will continue the development and execution of category visions and strategies in the area of health and wellness and in the creation of insight-led innovative and fully evaluated shopper marketing programs, the company stated.