Biocon

Biocon was founded in 1978 with ₹10,000 (US$140) as the initial capital.[6]

Biocon's first product to go to market was papain, an enzyme found in papaya which is used to prevent beer from turning hazy.[7] Until 1983, the company blended enzymes and supplied them to brewing, textiles, biofuels, animal feed and other such industries across the world.

In 1989, the Irish Biocon was acquired by Unilever.

Biocon's milestone events in each year are as follows:[8]

• 29 November 1978 - Biocon India is incorporated as a joint venture between Biocon Biochemicals Ltd. of Ireland and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.[9]
• 1979 - Becomes the first Indian company to manufacture and export enzymes to USA and Europe.[10]
• 1989 - Unilever acquires Biocon Biochemicals Ltd. in Ireland and merges it with its subsidiary, Quest International; Biocon receives US funding for proprietary technologies.[7]
• 1994 - Establishes Syngene International Pvt. Ltd. as a Custom Research Company (CRC).[7]
• 1998 - Unilever agrees to sell its shareholding in Biocon to the Indian promoters. Biocon becomes an independent entity.[11]
• 2001 - Becomes the first Indian company to be approved by USFDA for the manufacture of lovastatin; PlaFractor is granted a US 2001 and worldwide patent.[12]
• 2003 - Biocon becomes the first company worldwide to develop human insulin on a Pichia expression system.[13]
• 2006 - BIOMAb EGFR, first indigenously developed humanised monoclonal antibody for head-and-neck cancer is launched and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam inaugurates India's Largest Biotech-Hub "Biocon Park".[14]
• * 2008 - Biocon acquires a 70% stake in German pharmaceutical company, AxiCorp GmbH.[15]
• 2009 - Syngene-Bristol Myers Squibb research facility is established in Bengaluru.[16]
• 2009 - Mylan announces strategic collaboration with Biocon to Enter the Global Generic Biologics Market.[17]
• 2010 - Biocon expands to Malaysia, biopharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D facility established in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor.[18]
• 2011 - Biocon launches INSUPen®, a convenient and affordable reusable insulin delivery device.[19]
• 2012 - Abbott announces collaboration with Syngene to Open First Nutrition R&D Center in India.[20]
• 2013 - Biocon launches biologic drug ALZUMAb to treat psoriasis.[21]
• 2014 - Biocon launches world's first biosimilar drug CANMAb to treat breast cancer.[22]
• 2015 - Biocon launches hepatitis-C drug in India under brand name CIMIVIR-L.[23]
• 2016 - Becomes the first Indian company to launch a biosimilar Insulin Glargine pen in Japan.[24]
• 2016 - Syngene sets up Amgen R&D center in Bangalore.[25]
• 2017 - Biocon's Insugen is the first locally manufactured biosimilar product to be approved for sale by the Malaysian drug regulator.[26]
• 2017 - USFDA approves Mylan-Biocon's biosimilar for cancer drug Herceptin.[27]
• 2018 - Biocon, Mylan get European Commission approval to market biosimilar insulin glargine.[28]

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an Indian entrepreneur. She founded Biocon in 1978.

Biocon's CMD Kiran Mazumdar–Shaw joined Biocon in 1978.[8][29][30]

Her efforts in biotechnology have drawn global recognition both for the industry in India and for Biocon and she has been termed India's Biotech Queen by The Economist[31] and India's mother of invention by The New York Times.[32] She was recently named among TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world based not only on her contribution to the biotech industry but also because she gives back to the community.[33] Ms Shaw features on the Forbes list of ‘The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’[34] and in Financial Times’ ‘Top 50 Women in Business’ list[35]

Ms. Shaw is the recipient of several awards including the Nikkei Asia Prize, 2009 for Regional Growth,[36] Express Pharmaceutical Leadership Summit Award 2009 for Dynamic Entrepreneur, The Economic Times ‘Businesswoman of the Year’, the ‘Veuve Clicquot Initiative For Economic Development For Asia, Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Life Sciences & Healthcare, ‘Technology Pioneer’ recognition by World Economic Forum and The Indian Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award. She has received two Indian national awards—Padma Shri (1989) and Padma Bhushan (2005) for her pioneering efforts in Industrial Biotechnology.[8]

Born on 23 March 1953 in Bangalore, Ms. Shaw received a graduate honours degree in Zoology from Bangalore University (1973) and qualified as a Master Brewer from Ballarat University, Australia (1975). She received an honorary Doctorate of Science in 2004 from Ballarat University in recognition of her contributions to biotechnology.[8] Biocon announced that Dr. Christiane Hamacher has been appointed as the CEO of Biocon Biologic India Limited effective from March 2019.[37]

Biocon's manufacturing facilities are located at two sites in Bangalore.[8]

Biocon's discovery-led R&D focuses on the entire drug development pathway – from process development, to non-clinical and clinical research.[8]

Biocon's portfolio consists of 36 brands across the four therapeutic divisions of Diabetology, Nephrology, Oncology and Cardiology.[4]