Nycomed Officially Launched as Combined Group
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MELVILLE, N.Y. and FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Jan. 16 -- Today Nycomed announced the official launch of the combined group following the acquisition of ALTANA Pharma AG which was completed on December 31, 2006. Nycomed will now focus on integrating the two companies, while ensuring that the high level of customer service is maintained. Today's launch marks the beginning of the active phase of integrating the two companies.
Hakan Bjorklund, Nycomed CEO, said: "Our primary concern is patient welfare, so we will maintain focus on being a responsive and reliable partner for our customers. We're 100 percent dedicated to meeting our commitments and continuing to provide the high level of service that people rightly expect. In addition, this year we will also need to integrate the two companies; a process which now starts actively. While we are progressing on schedule, we are only in the first phase of defining the future shape of the company."
The first important integration steps were taken with the appointments of the members of the Executive Committee and Country Managers. The team which is managing the integration process has also been fully installed.
The next integration steps include establishing a new corporate headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, which is expected to be in place by around May this year. It is also expected that the heads of the corporate functions and the local operating companies will have the overall structure of their organizations outlined during spring 2007. Out of a total of about 50 countries with a Nycomed market presence, there are overlaps of Nycomed and ALTANA Pharma companies in 14 countries. In the majority of the markets, the impact of the reorganization is expected to be limited. Finally 2007 will see a number of name changes as ALTANA Pharma's local companies complete their legal transition to the Nycomed corporate brand throughout the year.
"This is the most exciting phase of our company's history so far," said Hakan Bjorklund. "Nycomed is an outstanding healthcare company with increased market strength, greater access to new products and a wide geographical scope. It is our key objective to offer medicines that make a real difference to the patient and represent true value to the health care provider. I am very confident that, despite the challenges which certainly lie ahead, we will achieve our goals."
In 2006 most Nycomed products showed growth, with Pantoprazole, for acid-related gastrointestinal diseases, remaining the largest single product by revenue. Nycomed launched a number of products in several European markets in 2006, including Matrifen® (fentanyl patch), a treatment for severe chronic opioid-sensitive pain and Preotact® (parathyroid hormone, PTH) for osteoporosis. Alvesco® (ciclesonide), a new generation treatment for respiratory diseases such as asthma, was approved in important European markets for treatment of patients aged 12 and older and also launched in several global markets, including Brazil and Canada.
About Nycomed
Nycomed is a pharmaceutical company of 12,000 people united by a desire to improve the quality of patients' lives. The company provides products for hospitals, specialists and general practitioners, as well as over-the-counter medicines in selected markets.
The company is active within a range of therapeutic areas, including cardiology, gastroenterology, osteoporosis, respiratory, pain and tissue management. New products are sourced both from own research and from external partners. Operating throughout Europe and in fast-growing markets such as Latin America, Russia/CIS and the Asia-Pacific region Nycomed has a presence in about 50 markets worldwide.
Privately owned, the combined group had non-audited estimated annual sales of approximately euro 3.4 billion and an EBITDA of approximately euro 927 million (2006 results). After the completion of the acquisition of ALTANA Pharma AG, effective 1 January 2007, Nycomed is relocating its group headquarters from Roskilde to Zurich.
For more information visit www.nycomed.com
CONTACT:
Angie Cecil,
HLD/Blankman Public Relations,
+1-516-536-6811,
acecil@hldblankman.com
Web site: www.nycomed.com/
