Gedeon Richter (company)

In 1901, the pharmacist Gedeon Richter founded the company, when he first received a license to industrially produce medicines.[10]

Initially, small-scale pharmaceutical production took place in the Arany Sas (Golden Eagle) Pharmacy, which still operates today. At the time pharmaceutical production on an industrial scale required heavy investments, and large-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing activities were considered to be extremely capital-intensive operations. Initially, the laboratory processed extracts from organs of animals and produced organotherapeutic drugs.

The plant was built in 1907 in the Kőbánya suburb of Budapest and was Hungary´s first pharmaceutical manufacturing plant and regarded as an outstanding technological achievement in its day. In compliance with the established international trends of the pharmaceutical industry in those days, the company produced herbal drugs, processed extracts from plants and manufactured synthetic products at a later date. The company became a highly recognized manufacturer of lecithin products, antiseptic and febrifuge products, as well as painkillers (Hyperol, Kalmopyrin, and Tonogen, which continue to be in use). In 1934, Constant Janssen, of the future Janssen Pharmaceuticals, acquired the distribution rights for Gedeon Richter's products.[11]

In the 1970s, chemists at the Gedeon Richter Chemical Works in Budapest discovered the brain enhancing drug Vinpocetine.[12]

In 1995 Gedeon Richter signed a manufacturing contract with Danco for marketing an abortion pill in France. In 1997 the company made the decision to breach of contract by pulling out the production on U.S. market. Thus, on May 9, 1997 the New Yorker Supreme Court accused the company by Danco Laboratories Ltd., because they lost over $200 million by the abortion pill project.[13]

In May 2006 Gedeon Richter signed a development and supply agreement with the US-based company Repros Therapeutics to produce Proellex.[14] In July 2007 Gedeon Richter signed a contract with Barr Pharma for the production of Novartis Lamisil. Barr paid Gedeon Richter a royalty for distributing the product in the U.S.[15]

From July 2008 - April 2012, the company constructed a new manufacturing facility ($110 million) in Debrecen.[16]

In October 2010, Gedeon Richter acquired 100% of a private Swiss biopharmaceutical company, PregLem, for CHF 445 million (€337 million).[17] PregLem is focused on the treatment of gynecological conditions and infertility.[18]

In 2015, Stada Arzneimittel AG and Gedeon Richter signed a license and distribution agreement to commercialize Richter’s biosimilar Pegfilgrastim in Europe. According to the agreement Stada receives non-exclusive distribution rights for the area of geographical Europe (excluding Russia), while Richter retains its rights to distribute and market biosimilar Pegfilgrastim worldwide.[19]

In January 2017, William de Gelsey resigned as Chairman of the board of Gedeon Richter. He was replaced by former CEO Erik Bogsch, who served as a Chief Executive Officer of Gedeon Richter from 1992 to November 2017.[20] As the new Chief Executive Officer he appointed Gabor Orban, a former fund manager, government official and Bogsch’s deputy since 2016. De Gelsey remains to be a member of the board.[21][22]

In April 2017, Evestra signed a collaboration partnership agreement with Gedeon Richter.[23] In February 2019, Gedeon Richter and Pantarhei Bioscience signed a license and supply agreement for the commercialization of a novel combined oral contraceptive.[24]

In September 2018 the company started collaborating with the company Mithra Pharmaceuticals to distribut its contraceptive, Estelle, in Europe and Russia.[25]

Richter's atypical antipsychotic, Reagila, containing the active ingredient cariprazine, was awarded the prize of Medicine of the Year 2019 by the Hungarian Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology (MFT).

Gedeon Richter has various subsidiaries in different countries: Gedeon Richter Polska, Gedeon Richter Romania and Gedeon Richter RUS are regional production subsidiaries. Richter-Themis Medicare (India) (51% Gedeon Richter, 49% Themis), Richter-Helm BioLogics and BioTec (Germany), Mediplus N.V. (Curaçao), Gedeon Richter Mexico, S.A.P.I. de C.V., Gedeon Richter Do Brasil Importadora, Exportadora E Distribuidora S.A. and Gedeon Richter Columbia S.A.S. are international subsidiaries in production and distribution.[26]

The company's chief governing body is the Board of Directors. The board's Chairman is Erik Bogsch, who had served as Chief Executive Officer since 1992 and was succeeded by Gábor Orbán as CEO in November 2017.[21][22] The board members are Gábor Gulácsi, János Csák, Dr. Ilona Hardy, Dr. György Bagdy, Csaba Lantos, Anett Pandurics, Bálint Szécsényi, Prof Dr Szilveszter E. Vizi, Dr.Kriszta Zolnay.[20]

The company's other governing bodies are the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board. The executive board is led by Erik Bogsch. Other members are Gábor Orbán, Gábor Gulácsi, István Greiner, Tibor Horváth, György Thaler. [27]

The supervisory board is led by Róbert Jonathán Bedros. Other members are Attila Chikán, Klára Csikós Kovácsné, Zsolt Harmath, and Éva Kozsda Kovácsné.[28]

As of December 31, 2018, Gedeon Richter’s shareholder structure is:[8]

• 66% - International investors
• 25% - Hungarian State (Hungarian State Holding Company, MNV Zrt.)
• 9% - Domestic investors

In 2018 the dividends approved by the shareholders of Gedeon Richter were EUR 41 million in total.[29]

In 2006, Gedeon Richter gifted a large sum to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), thereby establishing the IUPAC–Richter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry. The $10,000 prize is awarded every second year to an internationally recognized scientist (normally a medicinal chemist), whose research or publications have made a significant contribution to the practice of medicinal chemistry. The prize was initiated to honor and highlight the central role of medicinal chemistry in improving human health.[32]