 | |
| Company type | Société Anonyme |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biopharmaceutical |
| Founded | Lausanne, Switzerland (1979) |
| Founder | Dr Rolland-Yves Mauvernay (1922-2017) |
| Headquarters | Lausanne, Switzerland |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | |
| Owner | Privately-held |
| Website | www.debiopharm.com |
Debiopharm is a privately-held Swiss biopharmaceutical company mainly active in development and clinical testing of drug candidates. [1] It was founded in 1979 by Rolland-Yves Mauvernay.
Rolland-Yves Mauvernay founded Debiopharm in 1979 in Martigny, Switzerland. [2] In 1981, the Cytotech laboratory was created and after a few years it became Debio Recherche Pharmaceutique (R.P.), then Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing. [3] [4] Initially, the company worked on interferon and, in 1982, it began to focus on triptorelin, after having acquired the rights for its development from Tulane University. [5] Triptorelin is a Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH agonist) that has been approved for several indications, including advanced prostate cancer and endometriosis. [6] [7] The first marketing authorization for this medication was obtained in France in 1986. [8]
In 1989, Debiopharm acquired the license for oxaliplatin, a diaminocyclohexane (DACH) platin, from Nagoya City University. The drug was first approved in Europe in 1996 and became a standard treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer. [9] Since launch, triptorelin and oxaliplatin have generated several billion dollars in revenue for the company. [10]
In 2004, after having occupied different premises in Lausanne, Debiopharm moved its headquarters to a new building: what became "Après-demain Forum" had been initially designed by architect Jean Tschumi as the headquarters commodity trading giant Andre and is a cultural property of national significance. [11]
In 2005, Debiopharm acquired the Canadian company H3 Pharma, rebranded Debiovision, to support the development and worldwide registration of its medicines. [12]
The company's business model relies on establishing partnerships and research agreements with other companies or universities to develop new molecules and run clinical trials before licensing them in case of success. It partnered for instance in 2009 with US-based MSM Protein Technologies to work on a new oncology treatment, [13] in 2011 with Yale University as part of an agreement to develop and commercialise medicine for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, [14] in 2014 with German company Evotec to identify and develop compounds to treat a variety of cancers, [15] or with Canadian company Nobelex Biotech (also in 2014) to develop antibiotics targeting Neisseria gonorrhoeae and enteric species. [16]
In March 2021, Merck KGaA announced the acquisition of Debiopharm's xevinapant program in head and neck cancer for 900 million euros. [17]
Debiopharm is the Life Science division of the holding company Après-demain (litt. "The Day after Tomorrow") with three subsidiaries active in drug development (Debiopharm International), drug manufacturing (Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing) and investment (Debiopharm Innovation Fund): [18] [19]
Until 2020, the subsidiary Debiopharm Investment SA managed the group's asset management activities. [27] This subsidiary was merged and its former activities are now directly taken over by the holding company Après-demain SA. [27]
Debiopharm is known for the development of triptorelin and oxaliplatin, two drugs that became standards of care for the treatment of various types of cancer and are listed on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. [28] [29]
Early-stage treatments being developed by Debiopharm are referred to by code names such as "Debio [+4 digit number]". [32] In 2020, Debiopharm signed a global license and research agreement with German biotech 3B Pharmaceuticals (3BP) to work on "Debio 0228", a treatment targeting the CAIX (Carbonic anhydrase 9) enzyme to fight the progression of cancer. [33] Other drug candidates under development include:
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