In January of 2001, GlaxoWellcome merged with SmithKline to form GlaxoSmithKline Plc. The company is headquartered in the UK with operations based in the U.S. GSK had 2004 sales of $37.2 billion and a pre-tax profit of $11.1 billion with control over roughly seven percent of the global pharmaceutical market.
GSK employs over 100,000 people worldwide with 82 manufacturing sites in 37 countries and the largest sales force in the industry. GSK has a leading position in prescription medicines, vaccines and consumer health products such as toothpaste, nutritional drinks and over-the-counter medicines. Among the company's best selling drugs are Advair Diskus for asthma, Combivir for HIV/AIDS, Zofran for nausea in cancer patients and Avandia for type 2 diabetes. Its consumer health products include Aquafresh toothpaste, Tums antacid and nicotine gum, Nicorette. The company also has a strong presence in Washington, D.C., spending $32.4 million in lobbying since 1998.