Watson Pharmaceuticals

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Incorporated (NYSE: WPI) is the 5th largest pharmaceutical company in the United States based on number of prescriptions dispensed. Based in Parsippany, New Jersey, Watson's Generics division markets over 150 pharmaceutical product families, including one of the largest lines of oral contraceptives in the industry, as well as the generic version of the popular and highly dispensed opiate narcotic pain medication, Vicodin, Hydrocodone Bitartrate/APAP tablets. Watson's Brand division markets over 20 pharmaceutical product families, including Ferrlecit for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia, Rapaflo, for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, Gelnique, the only gel for the treatment of overactive bladder, Oxytrol, a transdermal matrix patch for the control of overactive bladder, Norco, a popular opioid/narcotic pain medication, Androderm, a transdermal reservoir patch for the treatment of low testosterone, as well as many other brand name medications. In addition, Watson's Distribution division, Anda, markets more than 6,000 pharmaceutical products, making it the 4th largest pharmaceutical distribution company in the United States.

History

Watson's roots began in the Spring of 1984, when, with funding from friends and family, colleagues Allen Chao, Ph.D. and David Hsia, Ph.D., begin a small drug development enterprise. In tribute to his mother, whose maiden name was Hwa, Dr. Chao names the new pharmaceutical company after her. With a small concession to the English language, "Hwa's son" becomes Watson. Just two months later, Watson establishes an initial product development and analytical laboratory with six employees (including both founders) into a leased space in Libertyville, Illinois. By late Fall of the same year, Operations then move to Southern California into an initial 2,000-square-foot (190 m²) leased facility in Corona; the development and manufacturing of generic pharmaceuticals begins. On April 13, 2011, Watson announced it was moving it's corperate headquarters from Corona, California to Parsippany, New Jersey.^[1] Watson's new LEED-certified corperate headquarters at the Morris Corporate Center in Parsippany opened on June 9, 2011.^[2]

Merger and acquisition activity

Acquisition of Andrx Corporation

On November 3, 2006, Watson acquired all the outstanding shares of common stock of the Andrx Corporation, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida based pharmaceutical company, in an all-cash transaction for $25 per share, or total consideration of approximately $1.9 billion. Andrx distributes pharmaceutical products primarily to independent and chain pharmacies and physicians’ offices and is considered a leader in formulating and commercializing difficult-to-replicate controlled-release pharmaceutical products and selective immediate-release products.¹ The acquisition expands Watson's sustained release technology platform and adds a number of high-barrier-to-entry products to its pipeline. Additionally, the acquisition includes Andrx's Anda Distribution business and state-of-the-art distribution centers in Florida and Ohio. These assets will allow for broadening Watson's product portfolio & providing future growth opportunities.

Acquisition of Arrow group

Locations and facilities

• Parsippany, New Jersey
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 180 staff employees and 370 field sales representatives. More employees pending
    • Facility Focus: Corperate Headquarters, Commercial Headquarters, Sales & Marketing, Sales Operations, Medical Affairs.

• Corona, California
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 1,330
    • Facility Focus: Solid Dosage Manufacturing, Generic R&D.

• Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 310
    • Facility Focus: Brand Research & Development, Transdermal Manufacturing.

• Mt. Prospect, Illinois
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 30
    • Facility Focus: Pharmaceutical technology and analytical support to in-house and third party manufacturing.

• Gurnee, Illinois
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 80
    • Facility Focus: Distribution and Telesales.

• Groveport, Ohio
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 115
    • Facility Focus: Distribution Warehouse.

• Grand Island, New York
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 70
    • Facility Focus: Telesales Operation.

• Copiague, New York
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 200
    • Facility Focus: Transmucosal Gum (Nicotine Polacrilex Gum) Manufacturing.

• Brewster, New York
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 90
    • Facility Focus: Distribution & Sales Operations, Regulatory Affairs.

• Carmel, New York
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 570
    • Facility Focus: Mass Solid Dosage Pharmaceutical Manufacturing.

• Danbury, Connecticut
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 60
    • Facility Focus: Finance, Analytical Laboratory, Pharmaceutical Technology, Engineering Validation, and Training.

• Weston, Florida
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 570.
    • Facility Focus: Distribution Warehouse & Telesales Operation for Anda Inc..

• Davie, Florida
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 820.
    • Facility Focus: Solid dosage manufacturing (tablets and capsules), Generic Research & Development, focusing primarily on controlled-release solid dose products.

• Coleraine, Northern Ireland, Europe
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 26.
    • Facility Focus: Manufactures 99% pharmaceutical grade nicotine, nicotine bitartrate dehydrate, and nicotine polacrilex as active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for the smoking cessation industry.

• Mumbai, India
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 735, including contract workers.
    • Facility Focus: Process Research & Development, Manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and related intermediates, Generic product development, and Solid dosage manufacturing.

• Goa, India
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 350.
    • Facility Focus: Solid dosage manufacturing.

• Shanghai, China
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 92.
    • Facility Focus: China Sales and Marketing, API Manufacturing (start-up).

• Changzhou, China
  • Number of Employees: Approximately 91.
    • Facility Focus: China Sales and Marketing, API Manufacturing (start-up).

Products

Some of the more popular products manufactured by Watson Pharmaceuticals are:

• ACYCLOVIR Tablets (Generic for: Zovirax)
• BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE Tablets (Generic for: Wellbutrin SR & Zyban SR)
• BUSPIRONE HYDROCHLORIDE Tablets (Generic for: BuSpar)
• CARISOPRODOL Tablets (Generic for: Soma)
• CITALOPRAM HYDROBROMIDE Tablets (Generic for: Celexa)
• CLARITHROMYCIN Extended-Release Tablets (generic for: Biaxin XL)
• CLONAZEPAM Tablets (Generic for: Klonopin), CIV
• CYCLOBENZAPRINE HYDROCHLORIDE Tablets (Generic for: Flexeril)
• DIAZEPAM Tablets (Generic for: Valium ), CIV
• DOXYCYCLINE HYCLATE Capsules (Generic for: Vibramycin)
• ENALAPRIL MALEATE Tablets (Generic for: Vasotec)
• FENTANYL CITRATE TRANSMUCOSAL SYSTEMS "AKA: Morphine Lollipops" (Generic for:Actiq), CII
• FENTANYL CITRATE TRANSDERMAL PATCH Skin Patches (Generic for: Duragesic), CII
• FIORICET Tablets (Butalbital, Acetaminophen, Caffeine), CIII
• FIORINAL Capsules (Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine), CIII
• GALANTAMINE ER (Galantamine Hydrobromide Extended-Release / Galantamine HBr ER) Capsules (Generic for: Razadyne ER)
• HYDROCODONE BITARTRATE/APAP Tablets (Generic for: Vicodin, Lorcet, Lortab, Norco), CIII
• HYDROCODONE BITARTRATE & Ibuprofen Tablets (Generic for: Vicoprofen), CIII
• IBUPROFEN Tablets (Generic for: Motrin)
• LISINOPRIL Tablets (Generic for: Zestril)
• MAXIDONE Tablets (Hydrocodone Bitartrate & Acetaminophen tablets), CIII
• NORCO Tablets (Hydrocodone Bitartrate & Acetaminophen tablets), CIII
• QUASENSE, a generic equivalent of Seasonale, an extended cycle combination oral contraceptive pill.
• OXYCODONE & Acetaminophen Tablets (Generic for: Percocet)

References

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External links

• Watson Pharmaceuticals Homepage
• NORCO Tablets