▁opened ▁its ▁first ▁R & D ▁centre ▁in ▁China ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁in ▁Shang hai , ▁initially ▁focused ▁on ▁ne uro de gener ative ▁dise ases . ▁Andrew ▁W itt y ▁became ▁the ▁chief ▁executive ▁officer ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁W itt y ▁joined ▁Gla x o ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁president ▁of ▁G SK ' s ▁Ph arma ce ut ical s ▁Europe ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁G SK ▁acquired ▁St ief el ▁Labor ator ies , ▁then ▁the ▁world ' s ▁largest ▁independent ▁der mat ology ▁drug ▁company , ▁for ▁. ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁F DA ▁approved ▁G SK ' s ▁v acc ine ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁H 1 N 1 ▁influen za ▁protection , ▁manufact ured ▁by ▁the ▁company ' s ▁ID ▁Bi omed ical ▁Cor p ▁in ▁Canada . ▁Also ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁G SK ▁formed ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁with ▁Pf izer ▁to ▁create ▁V ii V ▁Health care , ▁which ▁special izes ▁in ▁H IV ▁research . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁company ▁acquired ▁Labor ator ios ▁Phoenix , ▁an ▁Argent ine ▁ph arma ce ut ical ▁company , ▁for ▁US $ 2 5 3 m , ▁and ▁the ▁UK - based ▁sports ▁nut r ition ▁company ▁Max in ut r ition ▁for ▁£ 1 6