P&U Launches UK Management Center

Newly-formed Swedish-American drugmaker Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc launched its new management center and corporate logo in London on February 5, just 90 days after the completion of the merger (Marketletters passim). The center will be located in Windsor (also home of the Queen of England at Windsor Castle), just 10 miles or so west of London's Heathrow airport.

The location was chosen because London is "recognized as the world's financial and air transportation center....and a natural hub for a worldwide enterprise," according to P&U president and chief executive John Zabriskie, who will be based in Windsor. The new logo is shown below.

As well as the centralized steering and decision-making unit, P&U will have three pharma product centers responsible for various therapeutic activities: Kalamazoo, USA, for central nervous system, neurology, critical care, infectious diseases, inflammation and women's health products; Stockholm, Sweden, will take care of metabolic diseases, nutrition, ophthalmology, plasma, thrombosis and urology; and Milan will handle the oncology area. The structuring is expected to provide the strength of a major drugmaker - P&U now ranks ninth in worldwide turnover - plus the flexibility of three smaller companies, Dr Zabriskie told journalists.