| Type | Public (Bolsa española - ALM) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pharmaceutical industry |
| Founded | 1943 |
| Headquarters | General Mitre, 151 08022 Barcelona, Spain |
| Products | Aceclofenac (Airtal and other trademarks)* Almagate (Almax and other trademarks)* Almotriptan (Almogran)* Atorvastatin (Prevencor) Candesartan cilexetil (Parapres) Ebastine (Ebastel and other trademarks)* Eflornithine (Vaniqa) Escitalopram (Esertia) Fluprednidene (Decoderm Tri and other trademarks) Lansoprazole (Opiren) Pantoprazole (Pantopam) Salmeterol+fluticasone (Plusvent) Sitagliptin (Tesavel) Sitagliptin + metformin (Efficib) Sodium diclofenac + hyaluronic acid (Solaraze) Soya oil (Balneum and other trademarks) Venlafaxine (Dobupal) *Almirall R&D |
| Revenue | 1,002€ million (2010) |
| Employees | Around 2.850 |
| Website | www.almirall.com |
Almirall, S.A. (formerly Almirall Prodesfarma S.A.),[1] usually referred to simply as Almirall (BMAD: ALM), is a Spanish international pharmaceutical company. The company is headquartered in Barcelona and was the largest (by sales and employees) Spanish pharmaceutical company in 2004.[1] It has affiliates in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Nordic countries, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland and UK - Ireland.
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Almirall, an international, innovation-based pharmaceutical company whose headquarters are in Barcelona (Spain), researches, develops, produces and commercialises proprietary R&D medicines and those under licence.
Almirall was founded in 1943 in Barcelona (Spain) and began its research and development activities in the 1960s. It has evolved to become a prominent pharmaceutical company within the current European panorama. One of its major achievements was to become a stock market listed company in June 2007.
Almirall has 12 affiliates (including Spain) in Europe and Latin America, 3 R&D centres and 2 units centres, 5 production centres and an overall workforce of around 2,850 professionals, of whom around 523 work in R&D.
The company opened its first headquarters in a building of 50 m2 located in Martínez de la Rosa street in the Gracia area of Barcelona.
It was founded by Antonio Gallardo Carrera, with support from a small team of people. He created a small laboratory during difficult times when the country was suffering the aftermath of the Spanish civil war and while the rest of Europe was immersed in the 2nd World War. The first products were launched against this backdrop: an anthelmintic (Lombrikal), a parasiticide (Tundra) and a gynaecological antiseptic known as Leucosine. These were times of hardship and infection. Other products manufactured by Almirall at the time include an anti-flu medicine (Gripex) and the first balsam rectal treatment launched on the Spanish market (Rectopulmo) and which maintained a strong presence for over forty years.
In the spring of 1961 the laboratory was extended and by that stage it included a research department. Almirall launched a significant number of own research antibiotics and balms. However, it was from 1970 when its real policy for discovery and development of medicines got underway. It was then that the first Almirall proprietary research product was launched; an antibiotic (Sevilmine).
Work carried out during the 1970s developed in the 1980s into the launch of several Almirall R&D drugs and the obtaining of patents in technologically advanced countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and South Korea.
Antonio and Jorge Gallardo Ballart, sons of Antonio Gallardo Carrera, took on the responsibility left by their father on his death in 1988. They decided to merge Almirall with Prodesfarma in 1997, seeking an opportunity for growth. It was a decisive step that enabled the company to expand internationally through its own affiliates. Then Jorge Gallardo took the reins of the company being, at present, Chairman-Chief Executive Officer of Almirall.
In June 2007, Almirall was listed on the stock market. It then acquired Hermal, a German company specialised in dermatology and a portfolio of eight products from Shire, whose main products also belong to the said therapeutic area.
Almirall is the 69 highest turnover pharmaceutical company in the world and ranks 32 in Europe. Its medicines are present in over 70 in the five continents. Almirall holds a leadership position in the Spanish pharmaceutical sector, with a market share of 5% (IMS TAM Dec.10).
One of Almirall’s most notable features is its commitment to R&D. In 2010, resources allocated to R&D totalled 145 million euros; over 15% of net sales. In terms of workforce, over 15% of its professionals work in R&D.
Almirall medicines are present in over 70 countries in the five continents and represent around 45% of total income in 2010.
Almirall R&D medicines are: almotriptan (Almogran, antimigraine - 2000), aceclofenac (Airtal and other trademarks, anti-inflammatory - 1992), ebastine (Ebastel and other trademarks, antihistamine - 1990), cinitapride (Cidine, gastroprokinetic - 1990), piketoprofen (Calmatel, anti-inflammatory - 1985), almagate (Almax, antacid - 1984) and clebopride (Cleboril, gastroprokinetic - 1979).
In the dermatology area, other products include Vaniqa (eflornithine) for facial hirsutism, and Solaraze (diclofenac sodium + hyaluronic acid) for actinic keratoses, Balmeum (Soya oil) for Atopic dermatitis and Decoderm Tri (Fluprednidene) for mycotic dermatitis.
Almirall’s affiliates are in:
Europe:
• Austria
• Belgium
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Nordic countries
• Poland
• Portugal
• Spain
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom-Ireland
Latin America:
• Mexico
Around 73% of sales in 2010 correspond to Almirall’s fiteen highest selling products, of which four are proprietary research and development products:
| Brand | Active ingredient | Therapeutic area | Pathology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ebastel and others | Ebastine* | Respiratory | Allergy |
| 2 | Prevencor | Atorvastatin | Cardiovascular | Cholesterol |
| 3 | Esertia | Escitalopram | Central nervous system | Depression |
| 4 | Plusvent | Salmeterol+fluticasone | Respiratory | Asthma & COPD |
| 5 | Almogran and others | Almotriptan* | Central nervous system | Migraine |
| 6 | Parapres | Candesartan cilexetil | Cardiovascular | Hypertension |
| 7 | Airtal and others | Aceclofenac* | Osteomuscular | Pain |
| 8 | Opiren | Lansoprazole | Digestive | Ulcer |
| 9 | Dobupal | Venlafaxine | Central nervous system | Depression |
| 10 | Tesavel & Efficib | Sitagliptin & sitagliptin + metformin | Gastrointestinal | Diabetes |
| 11 | Soloraze | Diclofenac solium + hyaluronic | Dermatology | Actinic keratoses |
| 12 | Almax and others | Almagate* | Gastrointestinal | Antacid |
| 13 | Balneum and others | Soya oil | Dermatology | Atopic dermatitis |
| 14 | Pantopam | Pantoprazole | Gastrointestinal | Gastroesophageal reflux |
| 15 | Decoderm Tri and others | Fluprednidene | Dermatology | Mycotic dermatitis |
- (*)Almirall R&D products
Sales per therapeutic areas
| Therapeutic areas | In the world 2010 (1) |
|---|---|
| Respiratory | 21.5 % |
| Central nervous system | 18.5 % |
| Gastrointestinal | 18.3 % |
| Cardiovascular | 17.5 % |
| Dermatology | 14.0 % |
| Osteomuscular system | 7.3 % |
| Urology | 2.0 % |
| Others | 0.9 % |
Source: (1) Annual accounts 2010 (Registro Mercantil de Barcelona and CNMV)
Almirall has obtained seven new medicines from around 20,000 compounds synthesised. Almirall R&D medicines are:
Almirall is a company committed to research and development (R&D) of innovative medicines particularly in areas with unmet therapeutic needs.
Almirall’s R&D strategy is based on creating research teams focussed on specific therapeutic targets. By concentrating efforts on certain areas it has been able to increase knowledge, and as a result, probabilities of success. The areas on which it focuses research are related to the treatment of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), gastrointestinal disorders, psoriasis and other dermatologic conditions.
Almirall scientists have established a broad network of external collaborators in biology, chemistry and X-ray crystallography to help generate research programmes and access new technologies that may enable new research programmes to be generated and access to new technologies that may enable new drug- seeking processes to be speeded up .
This network includes collaborations with universities, research centres and technology companies in Europe and the USA. Almirall also cultivates a close relationship with the academic world in Spain and encourages the emergency of local biotechnology companies. Examples of this is the prominent role of Almirall in the Genius Pharma project, a technological platform as well as Neogenius, a programme for the discovery and development of new painkilling medicines form patiens suffering from osteoarthritis, sponsored by the Spanish government.
Almirall collaborates in clinical development with private universities and hospitals in Europe, the USA and other countries.
In 2008, Almirall incorporated into the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a joint project between the European Union and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA, the European management of the pharmaceutical industry) to increase R&D in the pharmaceutical sector on a European level.
To fully develop its R&D work, Almirall has infrastructures such as the R&D centre in Sant Feliu de Llobregat (Barcelona) inaugurated in 2006. By housing the majority of the Almirall R&D structure under one roof, synergies can be fully exploited. Almirall also has two R&D units in the Barcelona area: Chemical Synthesis and Active ingredient scaling-up (it implies modifying the obtaining of a few grams of substance in the laboratory to adapt it to industrial equipment able to produce product quantities of tens or hundreds of kilograms).
Moreover, Almirall also has a centre of excellence for inhalation technology, located in Bad Homburg (near Frankfurt, Germany), and made up of a team of technical experts in pharmaceutical innovation for the administration of medicinal products by inhalation. From here Almirall has patented a multiple dose dry powder inhaler (Genuair).
As a result of its acquisition of Hermal in August 2007, Almirall also has a team located in Reinbek (Germany) that focuses on dermatology R&D: the center of excellence in dermatology.
Almirall controls all factors involved in the process from molecule discovery to marketing of the resulting pharmaceutical product
The entire R&D process is performed in line with deontological standards and by applying criteria established in Good Clinical Practice (international ethical and scientific quality standards for pharmaceutical product research) and International Harmonisation Conference (it established technical requirements of pharmaceutical medicines for human use. They were adopted in 1996 by the USA, Japan, the European Union, Australia, Canada and the Nordic Countries).
The production sites comply with international manufacturing standards (Good Manufacturing Practice).
Almirall has five production centres: three pharmaceutical plants (two in Spain and one in Germany) and two chemical plants (in the Barcelona area). The facilities have cutting-edge technology and adhere to international manufacturing standards. In 2010, production rounded 100 million pharmaceutical units and exceeded a volume of 125 tonnes in chemical plants.
Safety in the workplace is one of the values that underpin the resources available to a company like Almirall. Almirall received the TÜV Rheinland certificate in March 2007, endorsing the conformity of its System for Risk Prevention Management with the international standard OHSAS 18001, and recognising that its criteria for health and safety in the workplace are higher than the standards of the legislation in force in Spain. Moreover, the Almirall fine chemistry business unit (Ranke Química, S.L.) was recognised in 2008 for its low accident rate by the Autonomous Commission for Safety and Hygiene at work in the Chemical and Related Industries (COASHIQ).
Almirall applies a strict environmental policy with a commitment to continuous improvement. In Spain, it has been awarded the environmental management certificate ISO 14001.
In short, the company has a network of resources and infrastructures in which professional experts from over 20 different nationalities work side by side to offer society therapeutic solutions to improve people’s health and quality of life.
- Annual report 2010
- Book Almirall 50 years of pharmaceutical research
- Web: www.almirall.com
- Press dossier
- Annual accounts 2010
- Press releases
- Company triptych
Almirall acquired a portfolio of products from both Shire (Solaraze and Vaniqa) and Hermal (Balneum range, Unguentum M and other dermatology products) in December 2007.
Almirall now have a large dermatology sales force in the UK.
products that have been developed by Almirall[1]