Business Roundup

Pfizer has made a $50 million equity investment in Perlegen Sciences, a developer of techniques for analyzing variations in DNA samples. The investment gives Pfizer a 12% stake in the private firm.

Acumen Pharmaceuticals and deCode Chemistry have launched a drug discovery program to identify potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease. DeCode will provide medicinal chemistry services to Acumen on a fee-for-service basis.

BASF has appointed Martin Brudermüller, 44, to its board and made him responsible for the company's business in Asia. He will move to BASF's Asian headquarters in Hong Kong in April.

Schering-Plough has completed a course of current Good Manufacturing Practices validation at its manufacturing facilities. FDA required the actions as part of a consent decree that included a $500 million fine.

Scynexis, a medicinal chemistry provider based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., has sold its U.K. subsidiary to U.K. management. The new company, named Selcia, calls itself the only company to combine radiolabeling, synthetic chemistry, and analytics services.

Shell and China National Offshore Oil Corp. have completed their joint-venture petrochemical complex in southern China. Workers will now begin to turn on the facilities, which include an 800,000-metric-ton-per-year ethylene plant.

SiliCycle, a Canadian developer of functionalized silica gels, has licensed alcohol-oxidation catalysts jointly invented by Mario Pagliaro of Italy's Research Council and David Avnir at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Titan Chemicals of Malaysia has agreed to buy Indonesian polyethylene producer PT Peni for $20 million and a promise to pay off creditors. Built as a joint venture of BP, Sumitomo Corp., and Mitsui & Co., Peni has been struggling since 1998, when Indonesia lowered polyethylene import tariffs.

pSivida has wrapped up its acquisition of Control Delivery Systems. According to Australia-based pSivida, the purchase brings additional product development and regulatory expertise and provides it with an operating base in the Boston area.