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| Industry | Pharmaceutical |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1830 (1830) |
| Founder | John K. Smith |
| Defunct | 1989; 37 years ago (1989) |
| Fate | Merged withThe Beecham Group plc to formSmithKline Beecham |
| Successor | SmithKline Beecham (1989–2000) GlaxoSmithKline (2000–2022) GSK plc (2022–Present) |
Smith, Kline & French (SKF) was an Americanpharmaceutical company that is now a part of the British groupGSK plc.
In 1830,John K. Smith opened a drugstore inPhiladelphia, 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 theSmith, Kline and French Company.[1]
In 1932, SKF chemistGordon Alles was awarded a patent foramphetamine.[1]
In 1968, the company acquiredRecherche et Industrie Thérapeutiques inBelgium.[2]
SmithKline acquiredAllergan in 1982, an eye and skincare business, and merged withBeckman Instruments, Inc., a company specialising in diagnostics and measurement instruments and supplies. After the merger the company was renamedSmithKline Beckman.[1]
SmithKline Beckman andBeecham Group merged in 1989 to formSmithKline Beecham plc. In 2000, SmithKline Beecham merged with Glaxo Wellcome to formGlaxoSmithKline (GSK).[3]
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