Zeneca
{{short description|British multinational pharmaceutical company}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Zeneca Group PLC
| logo = Zeneca logo.svg
| logo_size = 170px
| type = Public limited company
| company_slogan =
| fate = Merged with Astra AB
| successor = AstraZeneca
| foundation = 1993
| defunct = {{End date and age|1999}}
| location = London, UK
| key_people =
| num_employees =
| products = Pharmaceutical products
| homepage =
| industry = Pharmaceutical
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| assets =
| equity =
}}
Zeneca (officially Zeneca Group PLC) was a British multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It was formed in June 1993 by the demerger of the pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals businesses of Imperial Chemical Industries into a separate company listed on the London Stock Exchange.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/timetable-for-zeneca-demerger-spelled-out-1475344.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/timetable-for-zeneca-demerger-spelled-out-1475344.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Timetable for Zeneca demerger spelled out|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=26 February 1993}}{{cbignore}}
In 1999, Zeneca and the Sweden-based pharmaceutical company Astra AB merged to form AstraZeneca plc.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/231213.stm|title=Zeneca and Astra merge to form drug giant|access-date=5 July 2011|publisher=BBC News|date=9 December 1998}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/corporate-profile-the-arranged-marriage-1072830.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/corporate-profile-the-arranged-marriage-1072830.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Corporate Profile: The arranged marriage |access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=24 February 1999}}{{cbignore}}
Zeneca's largest therapeutic area was oncology, in which its key products included Casodex, Nolvadex and Zoladex.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_company_file/146417.stm|title=Pound batters drug giant|access-date=5 July 2011|publisher=BBC News|date=6 August 1998}} Other key products included heart drug Tenormin.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/zeneca-profits-up-42-in-first-year-after-demerger-volume-and-price-growth-but-conditions-remain-tough-1426911.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/zeneca-profits-up-42-in-first-year-after-demerger-volume-and-price-growth-but-conditions-remain-tough-1426911.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Zeneca profits up 42% in first year after demerger: Volume and price growth, but conditions remain tough|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=4 March 1994}}{{cbignore}}
Name
"Zeneca" was an invented name created by the branding consultancy Interbrand.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/comment/4478124/The-name-game.html|title=The name game|access-date=25 May 2012|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=14 January 2001}} Interbrand had been instructed to find a name which began with a letter from either the top or bottom of the alphabet and was phonetically memorable, of no more than three syllables and did not have an offensive meaning in any language.
History
In December 1994, Zeneca agreed the acquisition of 50% of Salick Health Care, an operator of cancer care centres in the United States, in a transaction which valued Salick at US$440 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/23/business/company-news-zeneca-to-extend-its-reach-into-cancer-care-services.html|title=Zeneca to Extend Its Reach into Cancer Care Services|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=23 December 1994}} Zeneca announced the sale of its textile colours business to the German group BASF in May 1996.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/zeneca-sells-lossmaking-dye-business-for-pounds-150m-1346377.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/zeneca-sells-lossmaking-dye-business-for-pounds-150m-1346377.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Zeneca sells loss-making dye business for pounds 150m|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=9 May 1996}}{{cbignore}} Zeneca announced it would purchase the remaining 50% of Salick Health Care that it did not already own on 28 March 28, 1997.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/28/business/zeneca-to-buy-rest-of-salick-health-care.html|title=Zeneca to Buy Rest of Salick Health Care|access-date=6 July 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=28 March 1997}} In December 1997, Zeneca acquired the US fungicide operations of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, along with the international distribution rights to four recently developed fungicides, herbicides and pest control products, for US$500 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/zeneca-buys-pounds-300m-fungicide-business-from-japanese-rival-1289452.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/zeneca-buys-pounds-300m-fungicide-business-from-japanese-rival-1289452.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Zeneca buys pounds 300m fungicide business from Japanese rival|access-date=5 July 2011|work=The Independent|date=18 December 1997}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/18/business/international-briefs-zeneca-group-buys-us-fungicide-business.html|title=Zeneca Group Buys U.S. Fungicide Business|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=18 December 1997}}
In May 1998, Zeneca announced that Tom McKillop, then the head of its drugs division, would succeed Sir David Barnes as chief executive, with Barnes becoming non-executive chairman of the company.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/drugs-chief-appointed-new-head-of-zeneca-1158275.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/drugs-chief-appointed-new-head-of-zeneca-1158275.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Drugs chief appointed new head of Zeneca|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=23 May 1998}}{{cbignore}} In November 1998, Zeneca announced that it would sell its Zeneca Specialties division, including its biocides, industrial colours, life science molecules, performance and intermediate chemicals and resins activities.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_company_file/213105.stm|title=Zeneca mulls specialities sale|access-date=5 July 2011|publisher=BBC News|date=12 November 1998}} On 11 December 1998, Zeneca and Astra AB announced a £48 billion merger.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/has-zeneca-chosen-wisely-1190661.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/has-zeneca-chosen-wisely-1190661.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Has Zeneca chosen wisely?|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=11 December 1998}}{{cbignore}} In February 1999, it was reported that Zeneca would sue the US Food and Drug Administration over its decision to allow Gensia Sicor to produce a generic version of its anaesthetic Diprivan.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/zeneca-to-sue-us-drug-monitor-1069736.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/zeneca-to-sue-us-drug-monitor-1069736.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Zeneca to sue US drug monitor|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=9 February 1999}}{{cbignore}} The merger between Zeneca and Astra AB was completed in April 1999, forming AstraZeneca plc.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/the-lowdown-mckillop-gives-his-opponents-the-treatment-580595.html|title=The Lowdown: McKillop gives his opponents the treatment|access-date=5 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=21 September 2003}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
See also
{{Portal|London|Companies}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{AstraZeneca}}
{{Pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry in the United Kingdom}}
{{authority control|state=expanded}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zeneca}}
Category:Defunct companies based in London
Category:Pharmaceutical companies established in 1993
Category:British companies established in 1993
Category:Multinational companies headquartered in England
Category:Pesticides in the United Kingdom
Category:Pharmaceutical companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Pharmaceutical companies disestablished in 1999