Drugs mergers throw up logos

New healthcare giant Nycomed Amersham will start considering its corporate identity in the next few weeks.

The 2bn company is a result of the merger of Amersham International in the UK and Norwegian comany Nycomed.

The merger is due for completion by the end of September, by which time a logo for the UK-headquartered company should be in place, says an Amersham spokesman.

Meanwhile, the merger of the life sciences arms of Amersham and Swiss group Pharmacia & Upjohn will create the world’s biggest bio-technology supply business. The identity for Amersham Pharmacia Biotech is being designed by Graphic Acumen.

The London consultancy was appointed after a three-way credentials pitch against unnamed Scandinavian and New York groups, says company vice-president of market planning and support Julian Stubbs.

The group carried out the most recent identity work for Amersham in England, says Peter Murdoch, director of both Graphic Acumen and product design consultancy Design Acumen.

Amersham Pharmacia Biotech is currently operating with an interim logo created in-house and the new identity and guidelines will be introduced in October. Graphic Acumen will then start work on literature, advertising and brands.