Pharma Roundup: New Pharma Exec at Johnson & Johnson, New U.S. Jobs at Boehringer Ingelheim, and More

Johnson & Johnson shuffles executives -- J&J has announced that Sheri McCoy, currently leading the company's surgical products division, will head the pharmaceutical unit starting next year. McCoy, trained as a chemical engineer, has worked for numerous units within J&J but doesn't have specific pharma experience. She will take the helm of a division losing patents--and therefore losing revenue. [Source: WSJ Health Blog]

Boehringer Ingelheim actually adding research jobs -- Not only is the firm keeping its 1300-strong Connecticut workforce, it plans to add a new facility--and new researchers to fill it--in 2009. "Being a private company, it is different," exec Phil Vickers says, explaining their growth in a time of industry shrinkage. [Source: FierceBiotech]

Credit crunch? Time for an acquisitions spree! -- ... or so counsels research firm Datamonitor. A recent report claims that the cash strength of pharma companies is a big asset in these unhappy financial times, and now is the moment to put that cash to work. Pharma firms should purchase biotech outfits which can no longer depend on generous lines of credit and whose pipelines can bring big profits to lucky buyers. [Source: PharmaTimes]

CEO discusses overseas generics in a post-Ranbaxy world -- The FDA is monitoring overseas generics manufacturers more closely than ever, as the recent action against Ranbaxy has shown. Arun Kumar, CEO of Indian company Strides Arcolab, discusses the changing landscape and what his company is doing to survive in an interview with the Business Standard. [Source: PharmaManufacturing]