P&U Moves To Revamp Inherited Pipeline

In a bid to pare down the weighty pipeline created by the merger, Pharmacia & Upjohn has said it will halt development of around 20% of its drugs and reallocate the funds into more basic research.

"Over the past six months, we have made excellent progress in focusing our resources in selected R&D programs," said Goran Ando, executive vice president of P&U and head of worldwide science and technology. "During the remainder of 1996 and 1997, we expect to continue to concentrate our greatest energies on advancing approximately 25 major products or line extensions now in Phase II/Phase III trials or beyond, as well as expanding our drug discovery activities through proportionally higher expenditures and through external collaborations," he added.

One such new venture is P&U's wide-ranging, five-year deal with the Swedish Karolinska Institute, which will involve the creation of a new molecular genetics group. P&U will fund around 50 researchers in the new group who will conduct "blue sky" research in a range of clinical areas.