international unit

n. Abbr. IU

1. The quantity of a biologically active substance, such as a hormone or vitamin, required to produce a specific response.

2. A unit of potency for similarly active substances, based on this quantity and accepted as an international standard.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

in′terna′tional u′nit

1. an internationally accepted standard, derived by bioassay, to which samples of a pharmaceutical substance are compared for ascertaining their relative potency.

2. the specific biologically effective quantity of such a substance.

Abbr.: IU

[1920–25]

international unit

A unit for measuring a biologically active substance, such as a hormone or vitamin.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

International unit

n. unidad internacional, medida de una sustancia definida aceptada por la Conferencia Internacional de Unificación de Fórmulas.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

Sanofi, a France-based pharmaceutical company, has filed a lawsuit against Merck's international unit over alleged patent infringements, it was reported yesterday.

Sanofi files lawsuit against Merck's international unit

Ace plans to make its international unit a stand-alone subsidiary with its own management team and directors.

Ace Hardware to create stand-alone international business

The transaction strengthens Sonangol's previously announced decision to block the sale of the Angolan oil-field stake to Cnooc Limited (CEO) and the international unit of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec).

Sonangol to acquire 20 percent share in Marathon Oil's Block 32

Cable & Wireless sells voice, Internet and wireless networking services to consumers and businesses through its international unit for the Caribbean, Panama and Macau, and its worldwide unit for Europe, Asia and the US.

Cable & Wireless plans cost cuts

PepsiCo's international unit, which includes all PepsiCo business in the UK, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa, will continue to be led by Mike White, PepsiCo vice chairman and CEO of PepsiCo International.

PepsiCo

Kluwer Law International unit Aspen Publishers (New York), in cooperation with the Singapore International Arbitration Center, has begun the publication of the "Asian International Arbitration Journal" with an issue in August.

Aspen launches "Asian International Arbitration Journal"

In November, AWG posted a 14 per cent fall in interim pretax profit due to the sale of an international unit, although the company cheered some investors with the resumption of a cash dividend.

AWG's still waters

After taking part in the acquisition and turnaround of Chile's Barcel, formerly a unit of Mexico's Bimbo, and of Venezuela's Savoy, purchased from Empresas Polar, he is now at the company's high-flying international unit, Sabritas.

Tomorrow's leaders today: Latin America's future CEOs do not travel alone. (Dream Teams)

For the nine-month period, the international unit's operating profit grew by 69 percent to $1.28 billion from $754 million last year.

WAL-MART'S SALES, EARNINGS INCREASE IN THIRD QUARTER

* Unilever, London, UK, is looking to sell its Cosmetics International unit, which includes Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, Nautica and Vera Wang fragrances.

Unilever to sell top fragrances. (Industry News)

Through its Ace International unit, the group also insures the wine industry "from grape to glass," he said.

Ace Launches Branding Campaign

Portugal Telecom's PT International unit has a 28% stake in CTM.

PORTUGAL TELECOM TO RUN MACAU'S CTM THROUGH 2011