Business News In Brief

Sandoz names DeGolyer head of U.S. business: Sandoz appointed Don DeGolyer President of its U.S. business unit, replacing Christine Mundkur who is leaving to pursue other opportunities, the drug maker announced March 8. Mundkur served a short role at the company after leaving her position as chief executive of Barr to shape up Sandoz's U.S. operation and grow the generics business in early 2009 (1"The Pink Sheet," Feb. 16, 2009). DeGolyer most recently held the position of senior VP and head of U.S. Commercial Operations for Sandoz US. At the same time, Sandoz also appoints Richard Tremonte VP of U.S. Retail Sales and Marketing, from his post as senior director of marketing for Sandoz U.S., which he held after joining the company in 2007

Sandoz names DeGolyer head of U.S. business: Sandoz appointed Don DeGolyer President of its U.S. business unit, replacing Christine Mundkur who is leaving to pursue other opportunities, the drug maker announced March 8. Mundkur served a short role at the company after leaving her position as chief executive of Barr to shape up Sandoz's U.S. operation and grow the generics business in early 2009 (¹ (Also see "Sandoz Gets New Global, U.S. CEOs: Will Flat Regional Structure Spark Growth?" - Pink Sheet, 16 Feb, 2009.)). DeGolyer most recently held the position of senior VP and head of U.S. Commercial Operations for Sandoz US. At the same time, Sandoz also appoints Richard Tremonte VP of U.S. Retail Sales and Marketing, from his post as senior director of marketing for Sandoz U.S., which he held after joining the company in 2007.

GlaxoSmithKline's Stephenne and Slaoui gain new titles: GlaxoSmithKline, in announcing management changes to its Vaccines business March 12, appointed Jean Stephenne chairman of Biologicals; a role he takes on in addition to his existing position as president. Additionally, over the next two years, GSK said it will transition operational responsibility for Biologicals to Dr. Moncef Slaoui who also will remain chairman of Research & Development.

King plans to increase sales force with Remoxy approval: Speaking at the Cowen & Company Health Care Conference on March 10, King Pharmaceuticals Chief Financial Officer Joseph Squicciarino told investors: "There's no doubt that when we get the approval for the long-acting oxycodone Remoxy that we will have to increase the size of our sales force." But he did not say how by how much. Though seemingly confident about an approval, King is cautious about what language it will use to promote it. "I think it's very, very clear that...we have the potential for abuse deterrence, as demonstrated from the abuse liability study results, but we don't have the proof. And potential is not proof," Chief Science Officer Eric Carter said. Still, King execs believe Remoxy "has a much more robust" formulation to resist tampering than any potential OxyContin competitors that also aim to reduce misuse.

Arena still searching for obesity drug partner: Arena Pharmaceuticals may need to raise more cash to support its unpartnered obesity drug lorcaserin. CEO Jack Lief assured investors during a March 12 earnings call that it is still seeking a partner while simultaneously preparing for launch. However, the company's cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2009 amounted to $115.4 million. Given expected expenses this year of $104 million to $114 million, Arena will probably need to raise more capital sometime prior to the third quarter unless it gets a partner, J.P. Morgan analyst Cory Kasimov observed in a same-day note. The company filed an NDA for the drug Dec. 22, but has not yet found a partner for commercialization, presumably due to arguably mixed results in Phase III studies and the daunting nature of the obesity market (² (Also see "Arena's Lorcaserin Reaches FDA, But Without REMS Proposal" - Pink Sheet, 4 Jan, 2010.)).

Cytokinetics' ALS compound is designated an orphan drug: FDA granted orphan drug status to Cytokinetics' fast skeletal muscle troponin activator, CK-2017357, for the potential treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The South San Francisco-based company recently announced the results of two Phase I trials. The compound selectively activates the fast skeletal troponin complex by increasing its sensitivity to calcium, which leads to an increase in skeletal muscle force. ALS, a progressive, neurodegenerative disease, afflicts 20,000 to 30,000 people in the United States. Approximately 5,600 new cases are diagnosed each year.

President Obama selects nominee for Federal Circuit: The president has nominated Kathleen McDonald O'Malley, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio, to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Prior to her appointment to the bench in 1994 O'Malley served as First Assistant Attorney General and Chief of Staff to then-Ohio Attorney General Lee Fisher.