Pharma manufacturing news in brief
3M buys Switzerland’s Ligacon
3M has completed the acquisition of Swiss filtration specialist Ligacon, considerably expanding its offering to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
The deal, financial terms of which are not being released, will integrate Tagelswangen-headquartered Ligacon into 3M’s existing CUNO Filtration unit, which produces clarification, separation and purification solutions for industrial clients.
Through the deal Ligacon will set about expanding its industrial filtration offering via incorporation of 3M’s existing technologies and development platform. The firm is also set to benefit from 3M’s considerable marketing presence.
Dishman buys land for new manufacturing plant
India’s Dishman Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals has purchased land for its Pharmaceutical and Chemical facility, near Bavla in Gujarat. It has acquired a 390 acre site and plans to invest Rs 5bn ($112.7m) in the facility.
In a separate release, the company said that it is venturing into manufacturing and marketing of disinfectant and sensitization products in India, Saudi Arabia and Australia. The company will make formulated products for hospitals, domestic use and industrial disinfection.
Dishman will enter Australian market through its existing Australian subsidiary while in Saudi Arabia it will start operations under the JV called Dishman Arabia Limited.
Stiefel’s plans for Barrier Therapeutics
Dermatology specialist Stiefel Laboratories says that its acquisition of New Jersey based Barrier Therapeutics, which was completed in August, has significantly expanded its product offering.
“Barrier’s innovative products and pipeline are a very valuable addition to Stiefel,” according to company CEO Charles Stiefel. He added that “the acquisition reinforces Stiefel’s promise to provide novel, high quality, safe and effective products for the treatment of skin disease.”
These thoughts were echoed by Steifel Laboratories’ president, Bill Humpries, who said that “Stiefel’s worldwide network includes more than 30 subsidiaries around the world, a research and development organisation spanning four continents and six manufacturing operations.”
Stiefel’s development and manufacturing operations include R&D facilities in the US, UK and Brazil, as well as its production plants in the US, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore, Ireland and Pakistan.
Humpries added that: “combining these resources with Barrier’s products will benefit more dermatology patients around the world.”
Forbes sells off pharmaceutical assets
Forbes Medi-Tech has sold off its pharmaceutical assets and business unit based in San Diego to Transition Therapeutics. The deal includes a payment of $1m and a potential future sum of $6m, in cash or shares, based on the achievement of certain developmental and regulatory milestones.
Forbes acquired the pharmaceutical unit in October 2006 as part of its acquisition of Therapei Pharmaceuticals. In May, the company announced restructuring plans to focus on its core nutraceuticals business.
Forbes president Charles Butt said that the sale: "will reduce the company's burn rate while allowing Forbes to clearly focus on further developing its nutraceutical business - through both organic growth and M&A initiatives within the functional food and dietary supplement markets."
