Dr Thomas Koestler, the executive vice-president of pharmaceutical giant Schering-Plough, yesterday told The Herald he was hopeful of "further investment" and commitment into its operation in Newhouse, Lanarkshire after its merger with even bigger pharma giant Merck is completed later this year.
According to filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this week, the two New Jersey-based companies said they will hold separate meetings on August 7 for shareholders, who must approve the pending $41.1bn (£25.2bn) merger that will create world's second-largest prescription drugmaker.
Koestler, who is also president of Schering-Plough's research institute and was yesterday in Scotland visiting the Lanarkshire drug discovery operation, refused be drawn on what Merck planned to do with the former contraceptive-making Organon Biosciences plant - however, he said that a £20m investment by Schering-Plough had already been committed to the operation and would not be withdrawn.
Indeed, outside the conference room in which The Herald interviewed Koestler, a construction crew with earth-movers were working on new, robot-operated, giant compound store for the company's research and drug discovery operations - suggesting that Schering-Plough, at least, had long-term plans for Newhouse.
Koestler said: "What ultimately happens here is up to Merck, and I can't speak for them. I don't know about their plans for Newhouse, but I do hope there is further investment here."
Nonetheless, the case for the plant's long-term future in Scotland under Merck seems overwhelming.
Asked by The Herald, hypothetically, how he would lobby for the Scottish operation to its new owners, Koestler said: "I would point out this is truly a centre of scientific excellence in global pharmaceutical research.
"There is strong scientific culture among the 270 employees. We have world-class scientists here. Our drug Bridion came out of research in Newhouse."
Bridion was developed as a safer, faster alternative to older drugs used to reverse anesthesia - but was also touted earlier this year as a "chemical cleaner" that could save the lives of thousands of people every year.
Koestler went on: "I would also point out that we are a global centre of excellence for drug discovery research into psychiatry and pain.
"Our speciality here is the central nervous system. We're working with compounds that we hope will be used to treat conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
"There is also a significant drug pipeline coming from this site. That's one of the reasons that Schering-Plough acquired it in the first place.
Organon launched its first oral contraceptive in the UK in 1962, and seven years later launched the first "mini-pill" for contraception. Koestler also said the company was continuing to research the male contraceptive pill. "The male contraceptive pill has so far proven illusive" he said.
"This is not to say that males are more complicated than women. The male pill is still in the drug discovery stage, but we would hope that clinical trials might begin in five to eight years."
Meanwhile, the history of the Scottish drug discovery centre, which is observed by commuters on the M8 corridor between Glasgow and Edinburgh, is symbolic of the changes brought to the pharmaceutical sector by successive waves of consolidation.
The site was first established as a research laboratory in 1948 by the Netherlands-based Organon, which in 1969 merged with AKU, a fibers company, to become Akzo, and later, after another marriage, Akzo Nobel.
Then, in 2007, just after Akzo Nobel announced its intention to divest and float Organon, the unit was snapped up by Schering-Plough, which was itself snapped up by bigger fish Merck earlier this year.
