Business Notes Pharmaceuticals

Edward Marks, 24, a former stockbroker trainee, admitted in an Orlando court last week that he had spiked Contac, Dietac and Teldrin capsule medicines with rat poison in a bid to make money in the stock market. Marks thus became the first person to plead guilty to charges of orchestrating a national drug- tampering scheme.

Marks poisoned capsules in a series of Orlando stores six months ago, after buying so-called put options in the stock of SmithKline Beckman, the manufacturer of all the non-prescription drugs. The option purchase would allow him to profit if SmithKline stock fell after the news of the tampering. Then Marks spread word anonymously of his deed, and SmithKline quickly % recalled its medications. In the end, though, Marks made no money. After pleading guilty to nine counts of tampering and communicating false information, he faces up to 54 years in prison and a $2.25 million fine.