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History of Hovione
Hovione was founded in Portugal in 1959 by three Hungarians,
HOrty, VIllax and ONody, who together constituted Hovione´s
name.
Its main founder and chemist, Ivan Villax, was primarily involved
in the research of semi-synthetic tetracyclines (antibiotics)
and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. The success of the research,
financed in part by royalties derived from the licensing of
existing patents to multinationals, and from small-scale production
and export, brought about Hovione’s first major turning
point: in 1969, the first factory was commissioned and built
in Loures, in the outskirts of Lisbon. With this new manufacturing
unit, Hovione was able to increase and ascertain its position
as a player in the world-wide market of active pharmaceutical
ingredients (APIs).
From the very start, two factors distinguished our products:
technological content and quality in manufacture. Being very
much research oriented, the company concentrated on products
that were difficult to make and thus had an assured market.
The first commercial successes came in the 60's and 70's with
the sales of betamethasone and derivatives to Japan as the primary
market. In 1982, the Loures plant was inspected and approved
by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Hovione launched
in the USA the semi-synthetic antibiotic, doxycycline, as the
product came off patent. With Hovione's doxycycline, independent
laboratories have increased the total market four times since
1983. Hovione's product still has today a market share of 75%.
In 1987, dexamethasone dipropionate, a Hovione patented development,
was launched in Japan where it quickly became the top selling
product in the topical anti-inflammatory therapeutic class.
During the 90´s, Hovione developed and began supplying
contrast media agents, and focused on meeting the outsourcing
needs of the Pharma Industry. Over 15 years ago we started to
offer our skills to the Innovators and became a leading supplier
of development services and of clinical trial materials offering
continuity into commercial manufacturing. At some point we were
one of the largest world producers of HIV protease inhibitors.
In 2006, we provided all the services related to the API for
41 NCEs in development (Phase I to NDA filing). |
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Ivan Villax in the 1950's
Founder of Hovione, 1925-2003
Obituary click
here
Ivan and Diane Villax, 2000 |
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