Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals 2005 - Company News Summary

BioProgress is to relocate its Cambridgeshire-based pharmaceuticals business and 15 staff from the town of March to the Cambridge Science Park in February.
27-Dec-2005

Torday & Carlisle has sold Solvitol, the Birtley-based manufacturer of household chemicals, to a new company called Fleetness 435 for an initial £3.3m.
22-Dec-2005

BioProgress is to acquire Dexo, the French pharmaceuticals company, for £8m, and has also announced the formation of a generic medicines joint venture with Crescent Pharma.
22-Dec-2005

Oxonica is to acquire Nanoplex Technologies, the US-based developer of nanoparticle-based detection systems for the healthcare and security markets with 17 staff.
21-Dec-2005

Premier Research has acquired IMFORM, the German pharmaceutical services company with 144 staff, for up to £4.7m.
20-Dec-2005

Cyclacel, the Dundee-based pharmaceuticals company, is planning a reverse takeover of US-based Xcyte Therapies.
19-Dec-2005

Zenith Hygiene is to acquire GW Chemicals, the Yorkshire-based manufacturer of cleaning and hygiene products with about 90 staff at sites in Elland, Oldham, Stockport and Hertfordshire, for up to £6m.
12-Dec-2005

Protherics has secured a £7.5m equity investment from AstraZeneca, and AZ will also fund a £16m expansion of Protherics' biopharmaceuticals production facilities.
12-Dec-2005

Ronseal, the manufacturer of wood preservatives, is to invest £8m in a new 90,000 sq ft warehouse at its Chapeltown site in Sheffield, with the creation of about 40 jobs.
07-Dec-2005

Dermasalve Sciences, the manufacturer of toiletries for people with dry skin, is to float on Aim through a reverse takeover of cash shell Meon Capital.
07-Dec-2005

Victrex is to invest £75m in the expansion of its thermoplastics business over the next three years, including a new £29m factory at its Thornton Cleveleys site in Lancashire.
07-Dec-2005

The Department of Health has announced government plans to invest £100m in stem cell research over the next two years, in order to support centres of excellence, the UK Stem Cell Bank, cell production facilities and NHS clinical research.
05-Dec-2005

One NorthEast is to invest £9.8m in the development of a £25m Institute of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine in Newcastle.
01-Dec-2005

Piramed has announced a £134m collaboration with Genentech of the US to fund the development of Piramed's cancer treatments.
30-Nov-2005

Alchemy Laboratories is to relocate from the Dundee Technology Park to a new 6,350 sq ft headquarters at the nearby Medipark by June 2006.
25-Nov-2005

Vernalis is to acquire Cita NeuroPharmaceuticals, the Canadian neurology and central nervous system disorders specialist, for up to £37m.
21-Nov-2005

XenoSense, the Belfast-based biotechnology company with seven staff, has been acquired by Biacore International of Sweden.
17-Nov-2005

Reckitt Benckiser is to relocate about 150 marketing and finance jobs from its recently-acquired Boots Healthcare International business in Nottingham to its UK headquarters in Slough.
11-Nov-2005

Chiron, the vaccines manufacturer with 600 staff in Speke, is to be acquired by Novartis, after the Swiss company offered $5bn for the remaining 58% stake.
04-Nov-2005

Gilead, the US pharmaceuticals group, is to relocate its European headquarters from Paris to London by opening a new office for 40 staff near Heathrow next year.
01-Nov-2005

Avecia is to sell its pharmaceutical synthesis business to Nicholas Piramal India for £9.5m, involving the transfer of 350 staff at sites in Huddersfield, Grangemouth, Billingham and the US.
28-Oct-2005

The School of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool has secured a £18m government grant to build a new international centre for tropical and infectious diseases, which will create up to 640 jobs.
28-Oct-2005

PRA International, the clinical development company, is to set up a 15,000 sq ft data management office at the Matrix Business Park in Swansea in November.
27-Oct-2005

PD Logistics has won a £2m contract to provide two 50,000 sq ft warehouses in Billingham for Huntsman's pigments division, which will create eight new jobs.
27-Oct-2005

Wellcome Trust has awarded £8m to Dundee University's School of Life Science to set up a commercial-style drug development unit with 16 scientists.
26-Oct-2005

Serologicals of the US is to expand the 200-strong workforce at its life sciences operations in Livingston and Dundee early next year, with the creation of 30 jobs.
25-Oct-2005

Brian Jones & Associates, the Hertford-based polyurethane chemicals distributor, has been acquired by IMCD, the Dutch company that owns Honeywill & Stein of Sutton, Surrey.
21-Oct-2005

Abcam is planning to raise £10m in a share placing on Aim, in order to fund the expansion of its Cambridge-based antibodies business.
20-Oct-2005

Hikma Pharmaceuticals of Jordan is planning to raise up to £70m in a flotation and relocate its headquarters to London.
18-Oct-2005

Patheon is to create 50 new jobs at its pharmaceuticals plant in Swindon when a £8m extension opens in spring 2007.
14-Oct-2005

Cyclacel has secured a £5m investment from Scottish Enterprise to fund the development of new drugs.
11-Oct-2005

Fresenius Kabi, the developer of nutritional products for intensive care patients, is to set up a £10m headquarters at Manor Park in Runcorn by mid-2006, with the relocation of 350 staff from existing sites in Warrington and Runcorn.
10-Oct-2005

Liz Earle Cosmetics is to relocate to a new 35,000 sq ft headquarters at the Ryde Business Park on the Isle of Wight in autumn 2006.
10-Oct-2005

BP is to sell its Innovene petrochemicals and refining business to Ineos for £5bn, having dropped plans for a partial flotation of the business.
10-Oct-2005

Reckitt Benckiser is to acquire the Boots Healthcare International consumer healthcare division of Boots for £1.9bn, which will involve the transfer of about 2,500 Nottingham-based staff.
10-Oct-2005

Cozart has acquired Spinreact, the Spanish medical diagnostics company, for £8.8m.
03-Oct-2005

Simon Storage, the chemical storage company with sites across the UK, is to be acquired by Inter Pipeline Fund of Canada for £120m.
03-Oct-2005

DDS Medicines Research, the Dundee-based company with 80 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for an estimated £1m, and will be rebranded as Drug Development Solutions.
03-Oct-2005

PPD is said to be planning to set up a pharmaceuticals research and development centre at Kings Worthy in Winchester in July.
03-Oct-2005

GlaxoSmithKline is said to be considering plans to double its £2.8bn annual research and development budget, although there are no plans for an immediate increase.
03-Oct-2005

Skyepharma is to raise £35m in a rights issue to fund the development of its Flutiform asthma drug.
29-Sep-2005

Tracerco is to open a new £1m research and development facility at Belasis Hall Technology Park in Billingham in November, with the creation of up to ten scientific jobs.
26-Sep-2005

BioFocus, the Saffron Walden-based drug discovery company with 112 staff, is to be acquired by Galapagos of Belgium for £20m.
22-Sep-2005

Pharmagene, the biotechnology company, has agreed terms for a £13m merger with Asterand of the US, which is expected to lead to the loss of about 23 jobs.
20-Sep-2005

Sequence Biotechnologies is planning to set up a nationwide network of up to 40 DNA testing clinics.
16-Sep-2005

GlaxoSmithKline is planning to acquire ID Biomedical Corporation, the Canadian manufacturer of innovative vaccine products, for £0.8bn.
08-Sep-2005

Idis, the pharmaceuticals importer, has undergone a £22m management buy-out backed by Close Brothers Private Equity.
07-Sep-2005

Huntsman has won planning permission to build a £200m polyethylene plant at Wilton on Teesside by 2007, with the creation of 120 jobs.
30-Aug-2005

Inyx is to acquire Celltech Manufacturing Services, the Manchester-based pharmaceuticals development company with 300 staff, from UCB for £19m, and will change its name from CMSL to Ashton Pharmaceuticals.
29-Aug-2005

DeltaDOT has raised £2.3m in a private equity funding round to finance the expansion of its bioscience research business.
24-Aug-2005

Zenith Hygiene has acquired Renaissance Laundry & Cleaning Supplies of Ross-on-Wye for £0.5m.
18-Aug-2005

Numark, the buying group for about 1,700 UK pharmacies, has accepted a £30m takeover offer from Phoenix Medical Supplies.
17-Aug-2005

Amphion Innovations is planning to raise up to £5m in a flotation on Aim this month, in order to invest in the expansion of its portfolio of life sciences companies.
16-Aug-2005

The Specials Laboratory is investing £1m in the expansion of its laboratory facilities in Northumberland from 6,000 sq ft to 35,000 sq ft, due to rising demand for unlicensed medical products.
15-Aug-2005

AstraZeneca has won planning permission from Torbay Council for a new £9m four-storey laboratory building at its site in Brixham, securing the future of 90 jobs.
15-Aug-2005

Pivotal Laboratories, the York-based analytical services company, has undergone a £8m management buy-out backed by Northern Venture Managers.
09-Aug-2005

Shire is planning to acquire Transkaryotic Therapies, the US biotechnology company, for about £920m.
28-Jul-2005

Chalcroft Construction has won a £1.1m contract from UK Radiopharma to build a pharmaceuticals plant at Dinnington near Sheffield.
21-Jul-2005

Huntsman, the chemicals group, is to set up a new support services centre at its Wilton headquarters on Teesside next year, with the relocation of up to 300 staff from offices and laboratories in Billingham.
21-Jul-2005

Arakis, the Saffron Walden-based drug development company, has been acquired by Sosei of Japan for £106m.
20-Jul-2005

Premier Research Group is to acquire PharmData, the US pharmaceutical services company with 40 staff, for up to £12m.
20-Jul-2005

Oxonica has raised £7.5m in a share placing on Aim to fund the development of new nanotechnology-based products.
18-Jul-2005

Quay Pharmaceuticals is planning to relocate its biotechnology business from Bromborough to a 22,000 sq ft laboratory at the Estuary Commerce Park in Speke next year, and the workforce is expected to rise from 20 to 84.
14-Jul-2005

ICI is to acquire the German emulsion powders business of Celanese for £15m, in order to expand its Elotex polymeric additives business.
11-Jul-2005

Respironics UK, the supplier of inhaled drug delivery systems with 150 staff, is planning to relocate from Bognor Regis to a new 86,250 sq ft office and warehouse at the Chichester Business Park.
08-Jul-2005

Disperse Group has acquired Hanworth Laboratories, the Cambridge-based manufacturer of cosmetics and toiletries with 55 staff, for £0.4m.
07-Jul-2005

Newcastle City Council, One NorthEast and Newcastle University have announced plans for the creation of Newcastle Science City, a government-backed science park that could lead to 5,000 new jobs.
07-Jul-2005

Vernalis is to acquire Ionix Pharmaceuticals, the Cambridge-based biotechnology company, for £12m.
07-Jul-2005

Microscience, the vaccine developer, has been acquired by Emergent Biosolutions of the US for undisclosed terms.
27-Jun-2005

SR Pharma is planning to acquire Atugen, the German biotechnology company with 30 staff, in a reverse takeover.
22-Jun-2005

The Centre for Process Innovation is to set up a £6.5m National Industrial Biotechnology Facility at the Wilton complex near Redcar by the end of next year.
21-Jun-2005

Autotype International, the specialist film coating company with annual turnover of £48m, has been acquired by MacDermid of the US.
20-Jun-2005

ML Laboratories is to acquire Quadrant Technologies, the Nottingham-based pulmonary drug delivery specialist with 35 staff, for £47m, and has also announced plans to change its name to Innovata.
17-Jun-2005

Gambro BCT of the US is to invest £7m in the expansion of its recently-acquired Ivex Pharmaceuticals business in County Antrim over the next three years, with the creation of 86 jobs.
16-Jun-2005

Zi Medical is to acquire Oxford NewTech, the pharmaceutical devices and diagnostics company, for £5m.
15-Jun-2005

William Ransom & Son is to acquire Optima Healthcare, the supplier of aloe vera products with sites in Cardiff, Bradford and Newbury, for £23m.
10-Jun-2005

GreenThumb, the lawn treatment company, is creating 12 new jobs at a new headquarters and training centre at the St Asaph Business Park in Denbighshire.
09-Jun-2005

Lornamead has bought Vosene shampoo and other personal care brands from Procter & Gamble for undisclosed terms.
09-Jun-2005

BP's Innovene division has announced plans to build a £1.1bn plastics plant in Saudi Arabia by 2008, in partnership with Delta International.
09-Jun-2005

Premier Research is to acquire EPA Euro Pharma Auftragsforschung, the German pharmaceutical contract research organisation, for an initial £3.2m.
08-Jun-2005

The University of Nottingham's School of Biomedical Sciences is to work with Exeter University to develop a £3m scanner to speed up the discovery of new drugs.
08-Jun-2005

Tristel has raised £2m in a share placing to fund the expansion of its Newmarket-based infection control business.
31-May-2005

Oxagen has secured a £32m capital investment to fund the expansion of its Oxfordshire-based drug discovery business.
25-May-2005

United Agri Products, the Cambridgeshire-based supplier of agrochemicals with 250 staff at a nationwide network of sites, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms.
23-May-2005

Unilever is to sell its worldwide perfume operations to Coty for £438m, including a manufacturing site in the US and a distribution centre in France.
23-May-2005

PPD is planning to expand its pharmaceuticals factory in Lanarkshire with the creation of 95 jobs, due to rising demand for its drug development services.
19-May-2005

Eli Lilly is to build a new £20m pharmaceuticals facility at its Windlesham research and development site in Surrey, and construction work is due to start in August.
19-May-2005

Byotrol is planning to raise £2m in a flotation on Aim to fund the expansion of its Manchester-based biocides business.
19-May-2005

The Biosystems Informatics Institute in Newcastle is setting up a trading arm called Turbinia to boost commercial returns from its bioinformatics research, and up to 30 new jobs are expected this year.
18-May-2005

Haptogen, the Aberdeen University spin-out, has announced a £1.5m deal with DaeWoong of South Korea to collaborate in the development of new drugs.
18-May-2005

Axis-Shield is considering plans to expand the workforce at its Dundee factory, due to rising demand for its diagnostic test products, which could involve expanding the building or finding new space.
16-May-2005

IP2IPO has raised £14m in a share placing to fund the development of a new drug research business called LifeUK, which will act as a link between universities and pharmaceutical companies.
12-May-2005

Acambis has acquired a US-based 58,000 sq ft vaccine manufacturing facility in Rockville, MD, from BioReliance Corporation for £4m.
11-May-2005

BD Medical is to extend the Preventis hypodermic needle guarding device production line at its site in Swindon by March 2006, with the creation of up to 20 jobs.
05-May-2005

GlaxoSmithKline is to acquire Corixa, the US vaccines manufacturer, for £160m.
02-May-2005

Xceleron has secured a £2m investment from Close Venture Management and Foursome Investments to fund the expansion of its York-based business supplying contract research services to the pharmaceutical industry.
28-Apr-2005

Koppers UK has acquired Lambson Speciality Chemicals of Yorkshire for undisclosed terms, which will involve the transfer of Lambson's glycerine and ammonium sulphate production facilities to Teesside.
27-Apr-2005

Eurofins Laboratories has acquired Direct Laboratory Services, the Wolverhampton-based testing and research facility with 100 staff, for undisclosed terms.
25-Apr-2005

Renovo is planning to raise £50m in a flotation to fund the development of an anti-scarring drug.
25-Apr-2005

Shire Pharmaceuticals is to acquire Transkaryotic Therapies, the US biotechnology company that produces drugs for genetic disorders, for £839m.
25-Apr-2005

Alizyme is planning to raise £33m in a share placing to fund the expansion of its Cambridge-based biopharmaceutical development business.
22-Apr-2005

Angel Biotechnology is planning to expand the workforce at its Northumberland-based medical research business from 35 to 42 this year, having secured a number of new contracts.
18-Apr-2005

Replizyme has raised a further £0.4m from shareholders to expand its York-based drug discovery business.
13-Apr-2005

Quantum Specials has secured an equity investment from Phoenix Healthcare Distribution to fund the expansion of its newly-created pharmaceutical manufacturing business, and the Tyneside-based workforce should reach 20 by 2006.
11-Apr-2005

CellCentric has received £0.25m from the Rainbow Seed Fund to fund the development of its epigenetics business and form a commercial relationship with the Babraham Institute in Cambridge.
08-Apr-2005

British Vita has acquired the thermoplastic elastomers business of Valerio Franceschetti Elastomeri of Italy for an initial £5.5m.
05-Apr-2005

Zenith Hygiene has acquired MP Chemical Products, the Northern Ireland-based supplier of cleaning, hygiene and ancillary products, for £0.1m.
04-Apr-2005

Protensive, the Newcastle-based supplier of process intensification services to the chemical industry, is looking to attract private equity funding of up to £2m, float on Aim and create up to 90 jobs over the next few years.
04-Apr-2005

Victrex has acquired an oxidation plant at Seal Sands in the north-east from Degussa for £16m, in order to secure the supply of the BDF raw material for the production of its Peek polymer.
04-Apr-2005

Elementis is to sell its US-based Hardman epoxy and urethane products business to Royal Adhesives & Sealants for £7.8m.
29-Mar-2005

Torday & Carlisle is to invest £0.6m in a new north-east factory for E Wood, its Northallerton-based specialist surface coatings division.
24-Mar-2005

Cambridge Biotechnology, the developer of obesity treatments with 29 staff, has been acquired by Biovitrum of Sweden for undisclosed terms.
23-Mar-2005

British Vita, the chemicals and plastics group, is to be acquired by Texas Pacific Group for £668m.
23-Mar-2005

Sphere Medical has raised £4m from a number of institutional investors to fund the development of its Cambridge-based diagnostic products business.
11-Mar-2005

Covance Laboratories is to invest £18m in the expansion of its drug development services centre in Harrogate by the end of the year, with the creation of 100 jobs.
09-Mar-2005

Biocompatibles has acquired CellMed, the German medical technology group with 15 staff, for an initial £2m.
07-Mar-2005

Cytomyx Holdings is to sell Cytocell Technologies, the developer of DNA diagnostic products, to a management-led consortium for an initial £0.6m.
02-Mar-2005

Inverness Medical Innovations of the US is to spend £60m setting up a diagnostic health products manufacturing and research business in Stirling, with the creation of 500 jobs.
01-Mar-2005

Ilford Imaging, the Cheshire-based supplier of photographic materials, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, securing the future of 380 jobs.
23-Feb-2005

Micap has acquired Rendel & Scherer, the German developer of microencapsulation solutions, for up to £0.7m.
23-Feb-2005

Alliance UniChem has acquired Farmaceutica Central, the Spanish pharmaceuticals wholesaler, for £33m.
22-Feb-2005

Ipsen Biopharm is to invest £5m in a suite of new pharmaceutical laboratories in Wrexham, securing the future of 200 jobs.
18-Feb-2005

Morgan Crucible is to acquire a 70% stake in Hubei Kailong Chemical, the Chinese ceramic fibres company, for £2m.
16-Feb-2005

The Specials Laboratory is planning to recruit 40 extra staff at its pharmaceuticals manufacturing business in Northumberland this year.
16-Feb-2005

The Medical Research Council is planning to relocate the National Institute for Medical Research and up to 730 staff from Mill Hill to University College London.
14-Feb-2005

CellTran has received £0.25m from the Yorkshire & Humber Equity Fund to finance the development of treatments for leg and foot ulcers.
11-Feb-2005

Edinburgh Instruments is to collaborate with Hannah InterActions and CSS-Albachem in the development of new cancer therapies, having secured a £3.7m grant from the Intermediary Technology Institute Life Sciences of Dundee.
11-Feb-2005

Ardana Bioscience is considering plans for a flotation next month to fund the expansion of its pharmaceuticals business.
07-Feb-2005

The Centre for Process Innovation is planning to expand the workforce at its Teesside-based chemical industry centre of excellence from 25 to 50 over the next two years.
04-Feb-2005

Altrix of Warrington is planning to raise £5m in a flotation on Aim later this year to fund the development of its drug-testing kits business.
03-Feb-2005

Phytopharm is to raise £24m in a share placing to fund the development of new plant-based medicines.
03-Feb-2005

Alliance UniChem has acquired 80% of Alloga, the healthcare wholesaling and logistics company, from Galencia of Switzerland, as part of a strategy to expand its network across Europe.
03-Feb-2005

York Pharma has acquired Molecular SkinCare, the Sheffield-based developer of dermatology products, in a £5.5m deal.
02-Feb-2005

EiRx Therapeutics has acquired a 56% stake in Auvation, the Aberdeen-based drug discovery company, for £1.5m.
01-Feb-2005

DanioLabs has raised £3.2m from institutional investors to fund the expansion of its Cambridge-based drug development business.
25-Jan-2005

Pharmaceutical Profiles, the Nottingham-based drug development company with 100 staff, has undergone a £10m management buy-out.
12-Jan-2005

Antisoma is to acquire Aptamera, the US drug developer, for £12m.
11-Jan-2005

The University of Wales in Swansea and IBM are to establish a £50m Institute of Life Sciences, which is expected to lead to the creation of 238 jobs and 30 spin-out ventures.
10-Jan-2005