GSK's history began in 1715 with Plough Court Pharmacy (later Allen and Hanbury's and in 1958 acquired by Glaxo) in London. In the early nineteenth century, John K smith and Co (later Smith and Shoemaker) is founded in Philadelphia and Beecham's Pills laxative business is launched in England. Beecham's open the world's first factory solely for producing medicines in 1859. Around this time Mahlon Kline joins Smith and Shoemaker as a bookkeeper. When he takes on additional sales duties, winning new business, the company is renamed Smith, Kline and Company. Burroughs Wellcome & Company is established in 1880 by American pharmacists Henry Wellcome and Silas Burroughs. Over the years various affiliations and merges took place resulting in companies such as Glaxo, SmithKline Beecham and Glaxo Wellcome, with the latter two companies merging in 2000 to form GlaxoSmithKline.

GSK is now an enormous global pharmaceutical company with an estimated 7% of the global pharmaceutical market. GSK's headquarters are now in the UK, with operations in the US.

GSK's mission is to improve the quality of human life and they are the only pharmaceutical company to tackle the World Health Organisation's three priority diseases HIV/AIDS, Turberculosis and Malaria. In 2005 they shipped 126 million tablets of preferentially priced HIV treatments to developing counties and donated 136 million tablets to help treat elephantiasis. Their six major disease areas are asthma, virus control, infections, mental health, diabetes and digestive conditions.

Products include

'Andropatch' skin patches containing testosterone to treat low testosterone in men

'Becloforte' inhaler for Asthma

'Efcortelan Hydrocortisone' cream for inflammatory skin disorders such as Eczema

'Floxapen' for bacterial infections such as Impetigo and Meningitis

'Imigran' for migraine

'Lanoxin' to help the heart beat strongly and regularly, used for conditions such as arterial flutters

'Trizivir' for HIV

'Valtrex' for genital Herpes

'Zantac' to reduce stomach acid

Over 25 vaccines for the prevention of diseases such as hepatitis A and B, Diptheria, Tetanus, Whopping Cough, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Polio, Tyhoid, Influenza and Bacterial Meningitis

Other products inlude:

Smoking Cessation Nicorette and Niquitin (gum to aid smoking cessation)

OTC Gaviscon (heartburn) Panadol (pain relief)

Dental Aquafresh, Maclean (both brands offer toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrushes)

Healthcare drinks Lucozade (energy drink)

Horlicks (nutritional drink)

www.gsk.com

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