Regional Report Triangle February 2013

As a candidate for governor, Republican Pat McCrory pledged to make government more responsive to business, so he stocked his cabinet with secretaries who have executive experience, most of them in the private sector.  

RALEIGH — The Food and Drug Administration approved Salix Pharmaceuticals’ drug Fulyzaq, which treats diarrhea in HIV/AIDS patients. The drug has patent protection for at least five years.

DURHAM — Tranzyme Pharma stopped enrolling patients in a later-stage clinical trial for a drug that treats stomach problems in diabetic patients because it proved no more effective than a placebo. The biopharmaceutical company focuses on developing treatments for gastrointestinal disorders.

RALEIGH — Carmen Holding Ames, a member of the family that owns the controlling interest in First Citizens BancShares, sold her stake for more than $220 million and resigned from the board of directors. The bank repurchased about $92.1 million of shares, and the rest were sold to investors. She wants to focus on personal interests and her family.

MORRISVILLE — 3D Systems will acquire Geomagic, a maker of design and software tools used in three-dimensional printers, for an undisclosed amount. The Rock Hill, S.C.-based company makes 3-D printers and is a longtime partner
of Geomagic.

RALEIGH — WakeMed Health & Hospitals will pay $8 million as part of a settlement with the federal government. An investigation re- vealed that between 2003 and 2010 the system billed the government for expensive inpatient stays when people were outpatients.