Lisle firm makes job cuts with plan

LISLE -- SXC Health Solutions Inc., a provider of pharmacy benefits management services and IT solutions to the health-care benefits management industry, announced it has reduced its work force by about 7 percent. These reductions were focused on the provider and administrative segments. Most reductions took place at the company's Lisle location. SXC now employs 425 people. The alignment plan is expected to generate annual cost savings of about $3 million.

Valent BioSciences makes acquisition

LIBERTYVILLE -- Valent BioSciences Corp. acquired a minority interest in Pace International, a Seattle-based firm that manufactures and distributes products used to protect and improve the quality of fruits and vegetables after harvest. Valent provides biorational solutions for pre-harvest crop production applications in specialty crop market segments. This equity investment will give the companies opportunities to co-develop new applications of VBC's active ingredients in the global post-harvest market segments.