Bachem
 | |
| Stock company | |
| Traded as | SIX: BANB |
| Industry | Chemicals, biotechnology |
| Founded | 1971 |
Key people | Thomas Früh (CEO), Kuno Sommer (Chairman of the Board of Directors) |
| Products | Biopharmaceuticals, organic and fine chemicals, chemical synthesis equipment, custom manufacturing of chemicals and related products |
| Website | www.bachem.com |
Bachem is a Swiss chemicals and biotechnology company, headquartered in Bubendorf.
Bachem is specialized in the manufacturing of peptides and complex organic molecules as active pharmaceutical ingredients. In addition, biochemicals for research purposes and manufacturing processes are developed. The firm provides a number of products and services to the pharmaceutical and life science industries, including organic fine and performance chemicals, custom manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, chemical synthesis capabilities and new chemical entities, and services for the bioscience sector.
History[1]
In 1971, Peter Grogg founded Bachem Feinchemikalien AG with two employees in Liestal near Basel with the focus on peptide synthesis. In 1977, Bachem moved with eight employees to nearby Bubendorf, and, in 1978, it manufactured, for the first time, peptides for use in medicine under cGMP guidelines. Between 1981 and 1991 Bachem tripled its production capacity and built an administration building, and in 1995, facilities were further expanded including the quality control department to a total of 168'000 sq. ft. (15'600 m2).
Expansion into markets outside Europe began with the establishment of Bachem Bioscience, Inc. in Philadelphia, USA in 1987. To strengthen its presence in Europe, Bachem opened sales and marketing centers in Germany in 1988 and in France in 1993. In 1996 it acquired its largest competitor, Bachem, Inc., together with its subsidiaries in Germany and the United Kingdom. In June 1998, following a very successful IPO, Bachem's shares began to be publicly traded on the Swiss Stock Exchange. In 1999 and 2000, a new administration building and a further production facility were respectively opened at the Bubendorf site.
With the acquisition of the San Carlos, California based Peninsula Laboratories, Inc. and its affiliate Peninsula Laboratories Ltd., United Kingdom in December 1999, Bachem extended its strong position in therapeutically active peptides into immunology, a domain with strong future promise. In August 2000, Peninsula Laboratories Europe Ltd. and Bachem (UK) Ltd. merged to a single Bachem group affiliated company in the United Kingdom. The acquisition of Sochinaz SA, a Swiss-based specialized manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients in 2001, strengthened Bachem's expertise and once again expanded its manufacturing capabilities.
Reorganization of distribution was carried out in Germany and France as a result of the positive experiences gained with the realignment of the sales and marketing organization in the USA. As a result the subsidiary in France was closed at the end of 2002. The subsidiary in Germany was relocated from Heidelberg to Weil am Rhein, was renamed Bachem Distribution Services GmbH and is now responsible for all customers in the European Union. In 2003, a holding structure was introduced to align the factual organization of the company with an appropriate legal structure and to support management structure adjustments, given by continued company growth requirements. In 2007, Bachem acquired the Clinalfa® brand for Bachem's ready-to-use clinical trial materials and related services. In 2010, Bachem commenced the partnership with Atheris laboratories offering the Melusine® range of research products for lead generation of new pharmaceutical candidates. In 2011, Bachem celebrated its 40th year as a producer of research ingredients and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for the pharmaceutical industry.
Divisions
Bachem Holding AG consists of the following divisions:[2]
- Bachem AG, in Bubendorf, Switzerland
- Bachem SA, in Vionnaz, Switzerland
- Bachem Americas, Inc., in Torrance, USA
- Peninsula Laboratories, LLC, in San Carlos, USA
- Bachem Distribution Services GmbH, in Weil am Rhein, Germany
- Bachem (UK) Ltd., in St. Helens, Great Britain