Genentech

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Genentech, Inc.

logo
legal form Inc.
founding April 7, 1976
Seat South San Francisco , California United StatesUnited States
Number of employees 12,300
Branch biotechnology
Website www.gene.com

Genentech is a 1976 by biochemist Herbert Boyer and the investor Robert A. Swanson in San Francisco based biotechnology - company . The basis for founding Genentech was Swanson's enthusiasm and belief in the potential of the method established by Boyer together with the geneticist Stanley N. Cohen for the expression of proteins from other organisms in microorganisms ( recombinant DNA technology ). In addition to its headquarters in San Francisco, Genentech also has production facilities in Vacaville and Oceanside (California) as well as in Porriño in Spain. Genentech employs approximately 12,300 people worldwide.

On March 26, 2009, the Swiss health care company F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG took over Genentech for $ 46.8 billion. Genentech has become a Roche subsidiary again after 19 years.

In 2008, Genentech had approximately 13.4 billion US dollars in sales, making it the second largest biotechnology company in the world after Amgen .

history

In 1977, Genentech began producing human somatostatin from the bacterium Escherichia coli . In 1978 the human insulin gene was cloned with researchers from the City of Hope National Medical Center and in 1979 the cloning of human growth hormone followed . In 1980 Genentech went public. In 1982, the first recombinantly produced drug was approved with human insulin . Production and marketing were out- licensed to the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly .

In 1985, Genentech received approval for Protropin ( somatropin ), a growth hormone for the treatment of stunted growth in children, the first product to be marketed by a biotechnology company. In the years 1986–1993 further approvals of active substances by the American health authority followed : 1986: Roferon-A ( interferon-α-2a ) for the treatment of a specific form of leukemia ; 1987: Activase ( tissue-specific plasminogen activator ) for the treatment of vascular occlusions in acute myocardial infarction , acute pulmonary embolism and strokes ; 1990: Actimmune (interferon-γ-1b) for the treatment of chronic granulomatosis and market launch of a hepatitis B vaccine ; 1993: Nutropin (Somatropin) for the treatment of stunted growth in children with chronic kidney failure prior to kidney transplantation; 1993: Pulmozyme ( deoxyribonuclease I ) for the treatment of cystic fibrosis ; 1993: Coagulation factor VIII out- licensed to Miles Inc. for the treatment of hemophilia A ; 2000: TNKase (tissue-specific plasminogen activator) for the treatment of acute heart attacks; 2003: Xolair ( omalizumab ) for the treatment of asthma ; 2003: Raptiva ( efalizumab ) for the treatment of psoriasis .

1997 saw the approval of the Rituxan ( Rituximab ) developed with Idec Pharmaceuticals (later Biogen Idec ). Rituxan is the first monoclonal antibody- based anti-cancer drug used to treat certain forms of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The antibody is directed against the CD20 antigen , which is found on normal and malignant lymphocytes . In 2004, Rituxan had sales of $ 1.57 billion in the US alone. In 1998 the antibody Herceptin ( trastuzumab ) was approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer , which overexpresses the HER2 receptor. Almost a third of all breast cancer tumors show HER2 overexpression. In Rituxan and Herceptin , there are so-called humanized antibodies that are produced to prevent immune reactions against the monoclonal antibody. In 2004, Genentech received FDA approval for Avastin ( bevacizumab ) for the treatment of metastatic colon or rectal cancer. With Avastin , the first is on inhibition of tumor angiogenesis approved based tumor therapy. In 2012, the US approval for the monoclonal antibody pertuzumab , which is used together with trastuzumab and docetaxel in the treatment of HER2- positive breast cancer.

In 1990, Genentech was bought by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche for USD 2.1 billion . On July 20, 1999, Genentech was finally reintroduced as an independent company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol DNA. On December 31, 2006, Roche held a 55.8% majority of the shares. Some drugs (e.g. Herceptin ) are marketed under the Roche name in Europe and Genentech in the USA. In July 2008 Roche announced that it would purchase the remaining shares in Genentech by public takeover bid for USD 89 per share. After declining numerous offers, Genentech also declined another offer in February 2009 for $ 86.50 per share. Genentech found the offer to be undervalued despite the financial crisis and recommended that shareholders not accept the offer. In March 2009, the offer of USD 95 per share was finally accepted. Genentech has thus been fully integrated into the parent company and is no longer independently listed on the stock exchange.

As a result of the sale to Roche, Genentech's CEO and Chairman Arthur D. Levinson received around $ 321 million in annual compensation (including bonus).

In June 2016, Genentech Inc. and OSI Pharmaceuticals LLC were sued in the Shields v. Genentech et al. sentenced to pay $ 67 million for false and misleading claims about the effectiveness of Tarceva ( Erlotinib ) in non-small cell lung cancer. Genentech distributes Tarceva for Roche in the USA. Both defendant companies claimed from 2006 to 2011 that Tarceva could treat all patients with non-small cell lung cancer, even though they knew that studies showed that Tarceva only helped those who never smoked or who had a certain EGFR mutation. The epidermal growth factor receptor is a protein in the cell membrane. The lawsuit alleged that sales representatives received promotional materials that dissuaded doctors from testing for the EGFR mutation. Doctors illegally received bribes disguised as fees for speaking or serving on Genentech's advisory board. Genentech organized lunches and dinners for lung cancer patients to whom paid “patient ambassadors” told how Tarceva works in unapproved cases.

literature

  • Sally Smith Hughes: Genentech: The Beginnings Of Biotech , University of Chicago Press 2011

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Genentech Fast Facts ( Memento of the original from September 24, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 24, 2016.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gene.com
  2. ↑ Genentech Manufacturing ( Memento of the original from February 18, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , November 2009  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gene.com
  3. ↑ Staff writers: Roche Makes $ 43.7B Bid for Genentech . In: Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News , July 21, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2008. 
  4. ↑ Genentech: Genentech Announces Full Year And Fourth Quarter 2008 Results . 2008. Retrieved March 17, 2010.
  5. ↑ Genentech, Inc. History , FundingUniverse (until 2000)
  6. ^ Dow Jones, July 21, 2008: Roche intends to take over Genentech completely
  7. ↑ dpa-AFX, February 23, 2009: Genentech continues to block itself against takeover by Roche
  8. ^ Roche acquires Genentech , Genentech press release, March 26, 2009
  9. ↑ Victor Weber: 359 million for Roche-Mann , SonntagsZeitung , March 14, 2010
  10. ↑ Pharmaceutical Companies to Pay $ 67 Million To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Tarceva , notice from the US Department of Justice dated June 6, 2016.