Essex Chemis

Essex Chemie AG (frequently cited as Essex Chemis AG in historical press releases) was a Swiss pharmaceutical company and a subsidiary of Schering-Plough Corporation. Based in Lucerne, the company played a key role in the international distribution and marketing of Schering-Plough's pharmaceutical portfolio, particularly its anti-infective products. Its most notable product was the Gentamicin Surgical Implant (marketed as Collatamp G and Sulmycin), a collagen-based drug delivery system designed to prevent post-operative infections. In 2005, Essex Chemie sold the worldwide marketing rights for this product to Innocoll. Following the 2009 merger between Schering-Plough and Merck & Co. (MSD), Essex Chemie's operations were absorbed into the Merck organization.