Pharmacia & Upjohn was a global pharmaceutical company formed by the merger of Sweden-based Pharmacia AB and the American company Upjohn in 1995.[1] Today the remainder of the company is owned by Pfizer. In 1997, Pharmacia & Upjohn sold several brands to Johnson & Johnson, including Motrin and Cortaid.
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History
Amersham
In 1997, the biotechnology division of the company Pharmacia Biotech merged with Amersham Life Science with the new merged entity being known as Amersham Pharmacia Biotech.[2][3] In 2001, the company was renamed Amersham Biotech.[4] In 2002, Pharmacia sold its share of the company to Amersham plc.[5][6] In 2004, Amersham Biosciences was acquired by GE Healthcare.[7]
In 1998, the nutrition division of the company was sold to Fresenius.[8]
Monsanto
Monsanto acquired the pharmaceutical company G. D. Searle & Company in 1985.[9] In 1998, Searle and the Monsanto Pharma Sector partnered with Pfizer to develop and promote celecoxib, an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat arthritis.[10][11] Branded as Celebrex, celecoxib was approved by the FDA in 1998.[12] In December 1999, Pharmacia & Upjohn merged with the American biotechnology and medical company, Monsanto and renamed itself Pharmacia.[13] The company retained Monsanto's pharmaceutical division - then known as Searle - and spun off the remaining interests as the "new Monsanto".[14][15] The newly merged pharmaceutical entity changed its name to Pharmacia Corp.[16]
Pfizer
In July 2002, Pharmacia Corp. and Pfizer announced an agreement that Pfizer would purchase Pharmacia; control of celecoxib was often mentioned as a key reason for Pfizer's acquisition of Pharmacia.[17] The deal was finalized in April 2003.[18]
Later developments
- The remnant of the Stockholm-based part of Pharmacia was partly spun off to Biovitrum in 2001,[19][20] which sold off its plasma products division to Octapharma in 2002.[21]
- In 2004, the allergy-diagnostic division of Pharmacia was sold off as Pharmacia Diagnostics.[22] Later in 2004, the Uppsala-based ophthalmology division was sold to Advanced Medical Optics.[23]
- In April 2006, Pharmacia Diagnostics changed its name to Phadia, which ended the use of the Pharmacia trademark.[24] In September, Phadia was acquired by PPM Capital.[24] In April 2006, Indian company Kemwell acquired Pfizer's Uppsala manufacturing plant that used to be under Pharmacia.[25] The company's facilities in Strängnäs Sweden are currently being expanded for the production of Genotropin, a growth hormone.[26]
Overview
The following is an illustration of the company's mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs and historical predecessors:
| Pharmacia Corp. Acquired by Pfizer, 2002 |
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References
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