Nycomed US Inc. Names Brian A. Markison as Chief Executive Officer

MELVILLE, N.Y., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nycomed US Inc. ("Nycomed US") today announced the appointment of Brian A. Markison as President and Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board for what will be the newly created standalone corporation created following the closing of the acquisition of Nycomed A/S by Takeda Pharmaceuticals.  

The Company also appointed Jeff Bailey to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer, and John Golubieski as the Chief Financial Officer.  

The Company noted that Mr. Markison's more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry will be instrumental in driving future growth, which Nycomed US expects to achieve organically as well as through acquisitions, product partnerships and in-licensing opportunities.  

Mr. Markison formerly served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of King Pharmaceuticals, which he joined as Chief Operating Officer before being promoted to President and CEO in 2004 and elected to Chairman in 2007.  Prior to King, Mr. Markison held various senior leadership positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb, including President of Oncology / Virology and Oncology Therapeutics Network; President – Neuroscience / Infectious Disease and Dermatology; and Senior Vice President, Operational Excellence and Productivity.  Mr. Markison serves on the Board of Directors of Immunomedics, Inc. and Rosetta Genomics, Ltd., where he also serves as Board Chairman.  Mr. Markison also serves on the Board of Directors for the Komen Foundation for South / Central New Jersey and on the Board of Trustees for the Pennington School. Mr. Markison holds a BS degree from Iona College.

Mr. Markison said, "I am delighted, along with Jeff and John, to join the team at Nycomed US.  This is an exciting time for the company because we have the opportunity to grow aggressively and forge our future as an independent entity.  Jeff and John are great additions to an already strong and focused management team and I am confident we can leverage the Company's financial strength and unique platform within the dermatology market to drive further growth in our business."

Hakan Bjorklund, Chief Executive Officer of Nycomed and Chairman of the Board of Nycomed US, said, "The Board and I have full confidence that Brian's broad experience, stature in the industry and proven record of success make him the right person to lead Nycomed US as it becomes a standalone company and meets the challenges of the future.  We are further delighted that Brian already has attracted two industry veterans to add to the depth we have within Nycomed US."

Nycomed US will continue to be owned by Nycomed's current private equity owners, including Nordic Capital Funds V and VI, DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (a Credit Suisse affiliate), Coller International Partners IV and V, and Avista Capital Partners.   The Company has its corporate offices in Melville, NY, manufacturing facilities in Melville and Hicksville, NY, a distribution center in Mechanicsburg, PA and the Fougera and PharmaDerm marketing and sales divisions in Melville, NY and Florham Park, NJ.

Mr. Markison concluded, "Over the coming months we anticipate updating the market with greater detail on developments from our strategic plan.  We will look to aggressively expand our offerings by evaluating strategic acquisitions and partnerships to enhance our position as a leading dermatology player in the U.S. We also have the right Board and shareholders in place to attract high-quality assets and professionals and to diversify our business and markets."

Mr. Bailey, Chief Operating Officer, formerly served as the Chief Commercial Officer of King – Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, leading a team of 750 members and reporting directly to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  Earlier, he worked with Novartis Pharmaceuticals in the role as President and General Manager, as well as Janssen Pharmaceutica, a member of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies.  

Mr. Golubieski, the newly appointed Chief Financial Officer, spent the last six years as the Senior Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis at King – Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, where he reported directly to the Chief Financial Officer.  Previously, he worked with Bristol-Myers Squibb and PriceWaterhouse.

About Nycomed US Inc.:

Nycomed US is a fully integrated US based specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology. Our goal is to develop products that will help improve the lives of patients with skin disease, and to assure quality and availability of these important therapies over time. Together with its Fougera and PharmaDerm divisions, Nycomed US is committed to delivering and maintaining a broad portfolio of important new and cost effective dermatological products throughout the product lifecycle. Founded in 1849, Fougera is the leading manufacturer and distributor of a wide range of topical products. PharmaDerm is dedicated to developing and commercializing novel prescription products to treat diseases and conditions of the skin, the largest organ of the human body. For more information on Nycomed US visit nycomedus.com.

www.nycomedus.com

www.fougera.com

www.pharmaderm.com

SOURCE Nycomed US Inc.