Temmler

Temmler Pharma GmbH & Co.
Formerly called
  • Temmler Werke
  • Vereinigten Chemischen Fabriken H. Temmler
  • Preuß & Temmler AG
Industry Pharmaceuticals
Founded 1917
Headquarters Marburg, Germany
Key people
Directors:
Werner Schneider
Matthias Utrata
Brands Pervitin
Owner Aenova Holding GmbH
(since 2012)
Number of employees
1000 (2011)
Website www.temmler.de
www.temmler.eu

Temmler Werke GmbH was founded in Detmold in 1917 by Hermann Temmler. The Temmler Group is a German pharmaceutical company, which focuses on the production, sale and contract production of pharmaceutical products.[1] In 2012 the Temmler Group was taken over by the Aenova Group and with its seven production sites is one of the largest European pharmaceutical contract manufacturers.

History

A methamphetamine tablet container
Temmler Pervitin, tablet container; the methamphetamine brand used by German soldiers during World War II.

The Temmler-Werke was founded in Detmold in 1917 by Hermann Temmler. In 1919 it merged with the Vereinigte Chemische Fabriken GmbH in Detmold to form the Vereinigten Chemischen Fabriken H. Temmler pharmaceutical company. 1925 its headquarters was re-located to Berlin. Preparations for the treatment and alleviation of respiratory diseases became the hallmark of Temmler Pharma.

Temmler plant in Berlin-Johannisthal, production building (2015)

From 1933, the company, with expanded production facilities, concentrated its business activities exclusively around the Berlin area. In 1938, a Temmler chemist in Berlin synthesised Pervitin (methamphetamine-hydrochloride), the pharmaceutical drug was then manufactured and dispensed over-the-counter to the public as a central nervous system and circulatory system analeptic, psychiatric performance enhancing stimulant and to induce or extend wakefulness to treat narcolepsy.[2][3] Pervitin was made available and packaged in thirty tablet oral dosage form, and in six 1ccm glass ampulla form as an intramuscular or intravenous injectable. The company became especially known for the introduction of its methamphetamine-hydrochloride preparation brand Pervitin, which the company produced from 1938 up until 1988.[2]

According to a Der Spiegel article in 2005, Nazi Germany believed that Pervitin could also help win World War II, so the German armed forces was supplied with more than 38 million Pervitin tablets, especially during Germany's "Blitzkrieg" invasion of Poland and the Battle of France during 1939/40 where it was introduced to soldiers to attenuate anxiety and increase performance and concentration.[2][4]

In 1945 the facility in East Berlin was occupied and disassembled. The company had to be completely reassembled in Hamburg.

In 1960 the whole company transferred from Hamburg to Marburg.

The Hessian state government awarded the complex, an area of about 40,000 m² of production and administration facilities, a prize for functional and architectural design.

In 1967 the production and storage facilities were extended.

In 1971 a new laboratory building was erected for the manufacture of pharmaceutical dosage forms and active ingredients for controlled release. It became possible, for example, to produce medicinal products in the form of retard pellets releasing their active ingredients when required and over a longer period of time.

In 1982, these retard preparations marked the beginning of contract manufacturing, initially for foreign firms only.

Commencing 1989 the production also comprised all solid pharmaceutical dosage forms for customers at home and abroad.

In 1990 Temmler Pharma became part of the ASTA Medica group. Besides medicinal products for gastroenterology and migraine/pain, pulmology become the focal point of the preparations programme.

In 1998 Temmler Pharma took over 17 established products, thus extending its product range to include pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of central nervous system disorders.

Since 1999 Temmler Pharma is once again in private hands.

In 2004 the laboratory building was extended by adding two additional floors to 2,500 m², thus laying the foundation for further growth in the field of pharmaceutical development and contract manufacturing services.

A complex comprising 1,380 m² housing production facilities to meet future GMP and FDA standards was erected in 2005. Solid pharmaceutical dosage forms, such as tablets and capsules, and particularly retard formulations, are manufactured at this site.

2007 The acquisition of three European production sites (Germany, Ireland, Italy) from the Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas on January 1 led to the formation of the Temmler Group, considerably extending production capacities and technological possibilities.

The Temmler Group acquires two further production sites in Feldkirchen and Bruckmühl.

2008 With the acquisition of the SwissCo group, based in Sisseln, Switzerland, the Temmler group further develops its competence in the processing of moisture sensitive active substances. The production of effervescent tablets is the chief work of SwissCo.

Today Temmler is one of the leading contract manufacturers in the pharmaceutical industry.

2012 Temmler acquired by Aenova.

References

  1. "Astellas transferiert drei Werke in Europa zur Temmler Gruppe, einem deutschen Pharmaunternehmen". FinanzNachrichten.de. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Pervitin (in German), Berlin: CHEMIE.DE Information Service GmbH, retrieved 16 September 2015
  3. Robert N. Proctor: The Nazi War on Cancer , Princeton University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-691-07051-2 p. 154-155
  4. "The Nazi Death Machine: Hitler's Drugged Soldiers". Der Spiegel, May 06, 2005.

External links

See also

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, October 25, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.