Debiopharm’s core activities consist in:
- Licensing-in new molecules presenting potentially superior therapeutic properties. This takes place following a robust search and evaluation process;
- Taking the licensed-in molecules through the entire development process, i.e. pre-clinical and clinical development, formulation, manufacturing and registration;
- Selecting the best licensee(s) for the worldwide commercialisation of the registered drugs.
Debiopharm has been involved in the field of companion diagnostics since 2008, with a view to progressing in the area of personalised medicine.
Debiopharm has developed extensive expertise in:
- Applied research in the field of peptides, e.g. to develop molecules with an enhanced safety and/or efficacy profile, and to redesign molecules;
- Drug delivery research, for instance to facilitate the administration of drugs to patients in emerging economies for whom a daily pill or a daily injection may not be practical;
- Life-cycle management from a relatively early stage;
- Industrial manufacturing involving the company’s own proprietary technology. Debiopharm’s clinical scale-cGMP manufacturing facilities in Martigny (Valais, Switzerland) are Swissmedic and ANVISA (Brazil) certified as well as FDA inspected and registered.
Debiopharm invests in the molecules that it licences-in while bearing the entire financial risk of the development process. Debiopharm’s main source of income consists in royalty payments, part of which is shared with the originators of the molecules.
Debiopharm has successfully brought five products to market, namely:
- Eloxatin® / Elplat® a DACH platin for the treatment of colorectal cancer. The active substance of this drug is oxaliplatin;
- Decapeptyl® / Trelstar® / Pamorelin® a GnRH agonist analogue in a 1-month-formulation for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, endometriosis, female infertility and central precocious puberty. The active substance of this drug is triptorelin;
- Decapeptyl® / Trelstar® / Pamorelin® in a 3-monthformulation;
- Decapeptyl® / Trelstar® in a 6-month-formulation;
- Moapar® / Salvacyl® 3-month, a GnRH agonist analogue for the treatment of severe sexual deviations. The active substance of this drug is triptorelin.
Debiopharm’s latest achievements include but are not limited to partnerships with Yale University (USA) and with Novartis, which illustrates the complementarity between academia, leading pharmaceutical companies and Debiopharm.
Debiopharm has funded a chair at the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and grants each year three scientific awards: two in Switzerland (EPFL and Haute Ecole valaisanne), and one in Japan (JCA-Mauvernay Award).
Debiopharm has a team of well over 300 professionals from more than 20 different countries and is advised by a network of international consultants with scientific expertise in all relevant areas.
Debiopharm Group™ was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
