Smith, Kline & French (SKF) was an American pharmaceutical company that is now a part of the British group GSK plc.
History
In 1830, John K. Smith opened a drugstore in Philadelphia, and his younger brother, George, joined him in 1841 to form John K Smith & Co. In 1865, Mahlon Kline joined the company, as a bookkeeper. In 1875, he took on additional responsibilities as a salesman and added many new and large accounts, as a reward the company, Mahlon K Smith and Company, was renamed into Smith, Kline and Company.[1]
In 1891, Smith, Kline and Company acquired French, Richards and Company, founded in 1844 by Clayton French and William Richards, which provided the company with a greater portfolio of consumer brands. The combined business became the Smith, Kline and French Company.[1]
In 1932, SKF chemist Gordon Alles was awarded a patent for amphetamine.[1]
In 1968, the company acquired Recherche et Industrie Thérapeutiques in Belgium.[2]
SmithKline acquired Allergan in 1982, an eye and skincare business, and merged with Beckman Instruments, Inc., a company specialising in diagnostics and measurement instruments and supplies. After the merger the company was renamed SmithKline Beckman.[1]
SmithKline Beckman and Beecham Group merged in 1989 to form SmithKline Beecham plc. In 2000, SmithKline Beecham merged with Glaxo Wellcome to form GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).[3]
External links
References
- The Metamorphosis of Smith-Kline & French Laboratories to Smith Kline Beecham: 1925-1998 Bull. Hist. Chem., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, School of Chemical Sciences, 2000, retrieved December 16, 2017^
- Gates Foundation Finances Leuven University Research for Coronavirus Treatment The Low Countries, 26 March 2020, retrieved 20 February 2023^
- Andrew Ross Sorkin With Melody Petersen. Glaxo and SmithKline Agree To Form Largest Drugmaker The New York Times, 17 January 2000, retrieved 25 June 2020^