Pharmacia to Move OTC Operations from Sweden to New Jersey
According to Pharmacia CEO Fred Hassan, the company's new OTC business strategy will include increased emphasis on moving selected prescription drugs from Pharmacia into the consumer market. "It is therefore logical," he said, "that the headquarters of this business be located with the Rx business headquarters in New Jersey."
The relocation will affect some 50 positions in the OTC division's finance, global marketing, and R&D departments. Stephen MacMillan, who joined Pharmacia last December as sector VP of global specialty operations, will assume the role of acting president of global CHC, replacing Jorgen Johnsson. And Christer Odqvist, currently VP of corporate coordination, will become general manager of the Europe market region for consumer healthcare, also based in New Jersey.
According to MacMillan, the reorganization will "enable Consumer Healthcare to coordinate product development in concert with the prescription side of our business, thus strengthening our global OTC brands, Nicorette and Rogaine, and maximizing the opportunities created by the recent merger with Monsanto/Searle."
Pharmacia Corp. is a global pharmaceutical company created through the merger of Pharmacia & Upjohn with Monsanto Co. and its G.D. Searle unit.
For more information: Paul Fitzhenry, Director of Corporate Communications, Pharmacia Corp., 100 Route 206 North, Peapack, NJ 07977. Tel: 908-901-8770.