Cephalon
Encyclopedia
Cephalon, Inc. is a U.S. biopharmaceutical
company
co-founded in 1987 by Dr. Frank Baldino, Jr.
, a pharmacologist and former scientist with the DuPont Company, who served as the company's chairman and chief executive officer until his death in December 2010. The company's name comes from the adjective "cephalic" meaning "related to the head or brain," and it was established primarily to pursue treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
Sales revenues reached $2.8 billion in 2010, ranking Cephalon among the leading biopharmaceutical companies in the world. In 2006, industry publication MedAd News named the company one of the ten most respected biotechnology firms in the world. Cephalon employs more than 3,700.
Cephalon was first included in the Fortune 1000 list of U.S. companies based upon annual revenues for 2006.
On 2 May 2011, Teva
has announced its acquisition of Cephalon.
, under a collaboration with Chiron Corporation
to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, but the product has never been approved.
More recently, the company has developed and commercialized products for the treatment of sleep disorders, pain, addiction and cancer. In addition to conducting research on kinase inhibitors and other small molecules, it has licensed compounds and acquired both products and other companies, including CIMA Labs, Anesta, and Laboratoire Lafon. It was from the latter company that Cephalon purchased the rights to modafinil
, which it marketed under the trade name Provigil for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy
, sleep apnea
and shift work sleep disorder
. Sales of Provigil reached nearly one billion dollars in 2008.
In February 2009, Cephalon announced its intention to acquire Australian biotechnology firm Arana Therapeutics, a move that represents one of the largest changes in the Australian life sciences landscape. The acquisition of Arana brings Cephalon its lead biologic candidate ART621 for inflammatory diseases. Moreover, Cephalon is acquiring biologics for the treatment of cancers. In February 2010, Cephalon exercise its option to acquire Ception Therapeutics, following receipt of positive data from a clinical study in adults with eosinophilic asthma. Commenting on this Frank Baldino, Jr, the CEO of Cephalon, said “The acquisition of Ception is consistent with our strategy to diversify into biologics and provides us with an important phase three asset for further development.”
Cephalon's Drug Discovery group is remarkable in that it has failed to produce a single FDA approved drug in its lifetime, which is due in part to having focused on difficult therapeutic areas such as neurodegenerative disorders. However, recent efforts have been more promising in that they have met apparent clinical success in oncology, and have advanced several compounds from the company's internal research pipeline. In line with this success in oncology was the company's agreement to acquire Australia's ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals, which provided Cephalon with marketing rights to Omapro, an experimental CML
therapeutic agent.
and its research operations in nearby West Chester
, as well as manufacturing and other operations in suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota
and Salt Lake City, Utah
; its European operations are based near Paris, France.
, former SmithKline Beecham executive Dr. Martyn Greenacre, former Harvard physician and Glaxo USA head Dr. Charles Sanders and former Ambassador Kevin Moley.
Biopharmaceutical
Biopharmaceuticals are medical drugs produced using biotechnology. They include proteins , nucleic acids and living microorganisms like virus and bacteria where the virulence of viruses and bacteria is reduced by the process of attenuation, they can be used for therapeutic or in vivo diagnostic...
company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
co-founded in 1987 by Dr. Frank Baldino, Jr.
Frank Baldino, Jr.
Frank Baldino Jr. was an American pharmacologist and scientist who was one of the co-founders of the pharmaceutical firm Cephalon, a company that was formed in 1987 and had grown to annual sales of $2.8 billion and net income of $425 million in 2010.Baldino was born on May 13, 1953, in Passaic,...
, a pharmacologist and former scientist with the DuPont Company, who served as the company's chairman and chief executive officer until his death in December 2010. The company's name comes from the adjective "cephalic" meaning "related to the head or brain," and it was established primarily to pursue treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
Sales revenues reached $2.8 billion in 2010, ranking Cephalon among the leading biopharmaceutical companies in the world. In 2006, industry publication MedAd News named the company one of the ten most respected biotechnology firms in the world. Cephalon employs more than 3,700.
Cephalon was first included in the Fortune 1000 list of U.S. companies based upon annual revenues for 2006.
On 2 May 2011, Teva
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. , is an international pharmaceutical company headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel. It specializes in generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients...
has announced its acquisition of Cephalon.
Background
The company's early research efforts were focused on the development of IGF-1, an insulin-like growth factorInsulin-like growth factor
The insulin-like growth factors are proteins with high sequence similarity to insulin. IGFs are part of a complex system that cells use to communicate with their physiologic environment...
, under a collaboration with Chiron Corporation
Chiron Corporation
Chiron Corporation was a multinational biotechnology firm based in Emeryville, California that was acquired by Novartis International AG on April 20, 2006. It had offices and facilities in eighteen countries on five continents. Chiron's business and research was in three main areas:...
to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, but the product has never been approved.
More recently, the company has developed and commercialized products for the treatment of sleep disorders, pain, addiction and cancer. In addition to conducting research on kinase inhibitors and other small molecules, it has licensed compounds and acquired both products and other companies, including CIMA Labs, Anesta, and Laboratoire Lafon. It was from the latter company that Cephalon purchased the rights to modafinil
Modafinil
Modafinil is an analeptic drug manufactured by Cephalon, and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea...
, which it marketed under the trade name Provigil for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, or dyssomnia, characterized by excessive sleepiness and sleep attacks at inappropriate times, such as while at work. People with narcolepsy often experience disturbed nocturnal sleep and an abnormal daytime sleep pattern, which often is confused with insomnia...
, sleep apnea
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Similarly, each abnormally low...
and shift work sleep disorder
Shift work sleep disorder
Shift work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder characterized by insomnia and excessive sleepiness affecting people whose work hours are scheduled during the typical sleep period...
. Sales of Provigil reached nearly one billion dollars in 2008.
In February 2009, Cephalon announced its intention to acquire Australian biotechnology firm Arana Therapeutics, a move that represents one of the largest changes in the Australian life sciences landscape. The acquisition of Arana brings Cephalon its lead biologic candidate ART621 for inflammatory diseases. Moreover, Cephalon is acquiring biologics for the treatment of cancers. In February 2010, Cephalon exercise its option to acquire Ception Therapeutics, following receipt of positive data from a clinical study in adults with eosinophilic asthma. Commenting on this Frank Baldino, Jr, the CEO of Cephalon, said “The acquisition of Ception is consistent with our strategy to diversify into biologics and provides us with an important phase three asset for further development.”
Cephalon's Drug Discovery group is remarkable in that it has failed to produce a single FDA approved drug in its lifetime, which is due in part to having focused on difficult therapeutic areas such as neurodegenerative disorders. However, recent efforts have been more promising in that they have met apparent clinical success in oncology, and have advanced several compounds from the company's internal research pipeline. In line with this success in oncology was the company's agreement to acquire Australia's ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals, which provided Cephalon with marketing rights to Omapro, an experimental CML
Chronic myelogenous leukemia
Chronic myelogenous leukemia , also known as chronic granulocytic leukemia , is a cancer of the white blood cells. It is a form of leukemia characterized by the increased and unregulated growth of predominantly myeloid cells in the bone marrow and the accumulation of these cells in the blood...
therapeutic agent.
Locations
The company has its corporate headquarters west of Philadelphia in Frazer, PennsylvaniaFrazer, Pennsylvania
Frazer, Pennsylvania is a community in East Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania, United States....
and its research operations in nearby West Chester
West Chester, Pennsylvania
The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, Marsh Creek State Park, and other historical attractions are near West Chester...
, as well as manufacturing and other operations in suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
and Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
; its European operations are based near Paris, France.
Management
Longtime chief financial officer J. Kevin Buchi succeeded Baldino as CEO in 2011. Members of the board include venture capitalist William Egan, former COR Therapeutics CEO Vaughan Kailian, prominent healthcare economist Dr. Gail WilenskyGail Wilensky
Gail R. Wilensky is an American health economist who has worked for Republican administrations and candidacies. Wilensky headed Medicare under the first president Bush and works at Project HOPE.-External links:**...
, former SmithKline Beecham executive Dr. Martyn Greenacre, former Harvard physician and Glaxo USA head Dr. Charles Sanders and former Ambassador Kevin Moley.
Products
Select products that Cephalon manufactures and markets include:- ActiqActiqActiq by Cephalon, is a solid formulation of fentanyl citrate on a plastic stick that dissolves slowly in the mouth for absorption across the buccal mucosa. Generically Actiq is a form of oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate . In the UK, Fentanyl is a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971....
(fentanyl citrate) - Cancer painCancer painPain is a symptom frequently associated with cancer. Cancer can cause pain by irritating or damaging nerves, by stimulating nociceptors , or by releasing chemicals that make nociceptors respond to normally non-painful stimuli. Cancer pain may be caused by the tumor itself or by medical... - Amrix (cyclobenzaprine) - Muscle relaxant
- Fentora (fentanyl) - Cancer pain
- Gabitril (tiagabine) - Seizures
- Nuvigil (armodafinil) - Narcolepsy
- Provigil (modafinil) - Narcolepsy
- Treanda (bendamustineBendamustineBendamustine is a nitrogen mustard used in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemias and lymphomas. It belongs to the family of drugs called alkylating agents...
) - Indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and Chronic lymphocytic leukemia - Trisenox (arsenic trioxideArsenic trioxideArsenic trioxide is the inorganic compound with the formula As2O3. This commercially important oxide of arsenic is the main precursor to other arsenic compounds, including organoarsenic compounds. Approximately 50,000 tonnes are produced annually...
) - Acute promyelocytic leukemia treatment
Pipeline Candidates
Select candidates in Cephalon's pipeline include:- CEP-26401 - Alzheimer's Disease
- CEP-701 (Lestaurtinib) - Malignancies
- Lupuzor - Systemic lupus erythematosus (Phase IIB trial complete )
- CEP-18770 - multiple myeloma