How plasma market shapes up

The merger of large companies in a given sector always has an impact on the smaller companies operating in the same arena, whether for better or for worse. The creation of Centeon, a major new supplier of specialty plasma, should be a plus for North American Biologicals Inc., which has been a supplier to one of Centeon's parents, rather than a direct competitor.

Hoechst AG and Rhone-Poulenc Rorer last week said they would create a worldwide plasma therapeutics company by combining their plasma subsidiaries into the Centeon 50/50 joint venture that will employ 4,500 people. The new company expects to sell about $1.2 billion worth of plasma products in its first year, based on 1995 sales of $600,000 at each parent's plasma subsidiary, Hoechst's Behringwerke AG and RPR's Armour Pharmaceutical Co...