Product News
Fujisawa and Roche have partnered for the U.S. co-promotion of Mycamine (micafungin sodium) injection, Fujisawa’s newly approved product for the treatment of patients with esophageal candidiasis and the propylaxis of candida infections in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation.

Bristol-Myers Squibb won FDA approval to sell its hepatitis B drug Baraclude, an oral antiviral agent designed to block replication of the virus by interfering with its ability to infect cells.

Pfizer agreed to buy the rights to Coley Pharmaceuticals’ experimental lung cancer drug Promune for as much as $505 million. Pfizer will pay Coley $50 million up front and as much as $455 million more for meeting certain goals.

The FDA issued an approval letter to Ista Pharmaceuticals for Xibrom (bromfenac ophthalmic solution) for the treatment of postoperative inflammation in cataract extraction patients.

People News
MANUFACTURERS

The biolitec Group of Germany appointed former Mattson Jack Group vice president of corporate development services, Carl Siekmann, to the new position of vice president, corporate development for biolitec Pharma.

Respiratory disease pharmaceutical company airPharma, has named J. Nita Cogburn and Susan Prather as directors of product development. Cogburn joins from CyDex and Prather joins from Sanofi-Aventis.

MAP Pharmaceuticals has named Jerry Okikawa as senior director, product development. Okikawa formerly served as the director of clinical operations at Aradigm Corporation.

Gloucester Pharmaceuticals has named Nicholas Vrolijk as vice president, manufacturing operations. Vrolijk was previously a founding partner of the manufacturing consulting firm Pharmaceutical Manufacturing & Compliance Associates.

Transkaryotic Therapies has hired Eric Pauwels as senior vice president, global commercial operations, from Bayer Healthcare, where he managed the global commercialization for Levitra as vice president global strategic marketing, men’s health.

Neothermia Corporation, a developer of minimally invasive systems for breast cancer, has announced that Thomas Tully will retire from his role as president and chief executive, effective April 1. Christopher Bleck, executive vice president, marketing and sales will succeed Tully.

SkinMedica, a pharmaceutical company developing dermatology products, has promoted Dianne Denton to vice president of pharmaceutical marketing and Chris Foy to vice president of pharmaceutical sales.

AGENCIES
GSW Worldwide has promoted Marcee Nelson to executive creative director of its Columbus office from senior vice president/group creative director within the agency’s women’s health practice.

The Curry Rockefeller Group has appointed Lisa Brauer as scientific director.

Palio Communications has promoted Andrea Rinkewich from account coordinator to assistant account executive and Erica Latte from account co