OTC30-07-10p1.qxd 28/7/10 05:55 Page 1

30 July 2010

COMPANY NEWS 2 Benckiser set to Novartis makes OTC gains 2 thanks to pain Sigma wants better offer from Aspen 3 J&J loses US$187mn 4 acquire SSL for £2.54bn off US OTC sales GSK’s Alli suffers European decline 6 eckitt Benckiser has agreed to buy SSL Reckitt Benckiser said it would assess the GlaxoSmithKline snaps up 7 Futura’s pain relief product RInternational for £2.54 billion (C3.03 “growth potential and strategic fit” of SSL’s billion) in a deal that will add the and smaller brands. A spokesperson for Reckitt Swedish pharmacists to 8 open Boots pharmacies Scholl brands to its global health and per- Benckiser told OTC bulletin that it was too Celesio takes DocMorris to Italy 9 sonal care portfolio. early to say whether the company would make , chief executive officer of Reck- any divestments. Domestic growth lifts Omega 10 itt Benckiser,said the two brands would bring SSL’s OTC portfolio includes Earex ear GENERAL NEWS 12 the company’s total ‘Powerbrands’ to 19. drops, Full Marks head-lice treatments, Meltus He pointed out the deal would be a “step cough medicines, Mister Baby baby products, Heads of agencies consult 12 change” for Reckitt Benckiser’s global Health and Syndol and Cuprofen pain relievers. on their five-year strategy & Personal Care division. Health & Personal The deal – which has been agreed by the Member states decline to give 13 Care’s annual sales would increase by more boards of both companies – will see Reckitt okay to general health claims than a third to approximately £2.8 billion, he Benckiser pay £11.63 in cash per SSL share ASA has concerns about Diabetone 15 said, adding that the enlarged division would with a further entitlement to a dividend of £0.08 German associations slam 16 represent a third of the group’s total turnover. a share for the year ended 31 March 2010. The SPD’s homoeopathy plans Acquiring SSL would also boost the com- offer is a 32.8% premium on SSL’s closing share pany’s presence in and Japan, he noted. ■ Continued on page 8 MARKETING NEWS 17 Reckitt intends to heat up 17 Europe’s sore-throat sales Pantoloc commercial uses 18 Private-equity firm Topical ketoprofen wonderful everyday events Perrigo gains rights to OTC Allegra 19 about to buy NBTY to reverse-switch European partners sought 22 for treatment for head lice rivate-equity firm The Carlyle Group is set opical ketoprofen medicines are set to be REGULARS Pto buy NBTY in a deal valuing the US-bas- Tgiven prescription-only status throughout ed manufacturer and retailer of nutritional sup- the European Union. Consumer viewpoint 14 plements at US$3.80 billion (C2.96 billion). The European Medicines Agency (EMA) – The menopause is this month’s topic The price is about 1.5-times NBTY’s turn- has recommended topical ketoprofen should Pharmacy viewpoint 20 over of US$2.58 billion for the year ended 30 only be used when prescribed by a physician, – Pharmacists notice Nurofen September 2009 (OTC bulletin,30 Novem- which means that the products will be reverse- and Wartner ber 2009, page 8). switched in most member states. Events – Our regular listing 23 Scott Rudolph, chairman and chief exec- Available throughout the European Union People – Latest moves 24 utive officer of NBTY,said Carlyle’s US$55.00 – excluding the Netherlands – since 1978, they People – Latest moves 26 ■ Continued on page 26 ■ Continued on page 12 OTC30-07-10p2-3FIN.qxd 28/7/10 05:57 Page 2

OTC COMPANY NEWS

Second-Quarter Results Novartis makes OTC gains thanks to pain

xcedrin in the US and Voltaren in Europe Region Second-quarter sales Change 2009/2010 (%) Ehelped lift Novartis Consumer Health’s (US$ millions) US$ Local currencies OTC sales in the second quarter of 2010. Voltaren had achieved a “record 44% share”