On Monday, Johnson & Johnson launched its branded 

, further bolstering its presence in the world of social media. Decked out in J&J's signature red-and-white color scheme, the channel currently offers a small selection of health information videos created by current NBC News chief medical editor Nancy Snyderman during her tenure with J&J.

"There had been a number of videos produced when Nancy worked in our corporate communications office," said J&J spokesperson Marc Monseau. "We were tasked with figuring out how to use these, and we realized that they would be very useful online."

Video sites, such as YouTube and Vimeo, offer pharma companies a place to show off media assets that are currently collecting dust. While companies could host the videos on their own branded Web sites, YouTube drives massive traffic with more than 80 million users.

And unlike blogs or forums, pharma companies can take full control of online video. They don't have to worry about negative comments being left after a post (YouTube comments can be turned off), and they can brand and edit the content as they see fit, tailoring the programming for a particular audience. Videos can also be removed as needed.

"In the last few years, we've been dabbling with social media and blogs; it has been quite an interesting experience," Monseau said. "It's changing communications."


While J&J is the first pharma company to create its own YouTube channel, it's not the first pharma to use the video-sharing service for promotional means. King Pharmaceuticals took advantage of the Web site when it launched its non-branded high blood pressure Super Bowl ad in early 2007. To make the most of the multi-million dollar spot, it snagged top key searches on Google and added the 60-second commercial to YouTube. Novartis also ran its 

 on YouTube, asking people to submit their own video about what it's like to have the flu.

"We've seen a proliferation on YouTube of health content and health videos," explained Neha Parekh, senior marketing manager of health at Google. "There has been an embrace from the healthcare community to put up videos and have a platform to create dialogue."

Just like all other forms of media on the Internet, there are no pharma regulations pertaining to videos for online platforms such as YouTube. "It's up to pharma companies to decide how to best utilize the Web," Parekh said. "There is concern, but pharma is trying to figure out what they can do, because they know that the consumers are [on the Web]."

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Johnson & Johnson launched its healthcare video channel on Google?s YouTube, signaling pharma?s further entrenchment into the online community

J&J Goes From Boob Tube to YouTube

The heparin contamination that rocked the industry this spring has apparently paid off for at least one pharma company. APP Pharmaceuticals, the Illinois-based manufacturer that stepped up to supply the blood-thinning drug when contaminated product distributed by Baxter was withdrawn from the market, announced Monday that it is being acquired by Fresenius, a German-based company that specializes in products for patients undergoing dialysis.

The deal will pay APP $23 per share, in cash, or about $3.7 billion total—29 percent premium over the stock's closing value on July 3. If certain performance goals are met, Fresenius will kick in another $6 a share, for a total premium of 63 percent. Fresenius also assumes APP's $940 million in debt. The deal gives Fresenius control of one of the largest manufacturers of FDA-approved injectible heparin with no known instances of contamination.

 led to the discovery of a contaminated ingredient originating from a Chinese manufacturing plant owned by American Capital Strategies. While other heparin makers, like Baxter, scrambled to find out what caused the contamination, APP began ramping up its facilities to produce enough heparin to meet the pending shortage. The company received FDA approval at all three of its plants, and even began manufacturing in the US. According to APP, its heparin brought in sales between $30 million and 40 million in 2007. Since April's shortage, APP has nearly tripled the price of the drug.

"Now we feel comfortable that we have the supply, and as a company we have been working very closely with USP [United States Pharmacopeia] in terms of setting new standards," said Patrick Soon-Shiong, founder and chairman of APP.

Currently, there are few heparin alternatives available, and one option—low weight, molecular heparin—doesn't have an antidote for excess bleeding, making it useless in hospitals.

"Heparin has been around for many years, and had eroded to the point where it was more expensive to make it than to sell it," Soon-Shiong told investors and reporters on Monday. "To meet the current needs, we manufacture about 12 million vials a month, compared to previous average of 3 to 4 million."

According to Soon-Shiong, APP will continue to act as a stand-alone company, and its products will continue to be sold under the APP brand name. Fresenius also said that the company will keep APP's senior and management staff intact.

"The merger with Fresenius will allow for the rapid globalization of APP's portfolio with the same high levels of quality and patient commitment, while at the same time providing a more complimentary and comprehensive offering of injectible pharmaceuticals combined with devices and delivery systems to customers worldwide," Soon-Shiong said.

Fresenius snagged injectible manufacturer APP Pharmaceuticals in a $3.7 billion cash deal. Along with entry into the US market, Fresenius also gets access to one of the largest suppliers of heparin.

Pharmaceutical Executive-07-10-2008

J&J Goes From Boob Tube to YouTube

Heparin Maker Acquired by German Firm