OM Pharma
Swiss biopharmaceutical company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
OM Pharma is a Swiss multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Geneva.
| |
| Company type | Société Anonyme |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biopharmaceutical |
| Founded | Barcelona, (1930) |
| Headquarters | Geneva, Switzerland |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | OM-89 |
| Owner | Etienne Jornod (Executive Chairman & Co‑Owner) |
| Website | www |
In 2020, the company became part of Optimus Holding, led by Etienne Jornod.[1]In 2021, OM Pharma received the Geneva Economy Award.[2] OM Pharma is the only pharmaceutical company that manufactures in Geneva.
The company specializes in developing and commercializing bacterial lysate-based products designed to help prevent respiratory and urinary tract infections by enhancing the immune system. Its research pipeline includes future applications of lysates.[3]
History
Origins
OM Pharma traces its origins to Barcelona in 1930, when French pharmacist Jean-René Ricard founded a small pharmaceutical laboratory focused on biologically derived medicines. The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 forced the Ricard family to leave Spain, and in 1937 the company relocated to Geneva, Switzerland. At that point the business was renamed OM Pharma, with OM standing for the Latin expression Omnia Medicamenta, meaning all medicines.
Integration into CSL Vifor/Galenica
In 1970, OM Pharma relocated its main operations to Meyrin, where the company continues to operate. In 2009, it was acquired by Galenica, a part of the Vifor Pharma Group.[4][5][6]
Acquisition by Optimus Holding
In 2020, OM Pharma was acquired by Optimus Holding, led by former Vifor Pharma Executive Chairman Etienne Jornod with a consortium of inverstors.[7] As part of the transaction, Optimus Holding committed to investing over CHF 250 million to enhance the company’s manufacturing and research capabilities.[8] Since 2024, Roch Ogier has served as the company’s CEO.[9]
Structure and subsidiaries
OM Pharma employs over 400 people, with its global headquarters and biotech campus located in Meyrin, Geneva, and an affiliate in Villars-sur-Glâne, Fribourg.[10]
The company also operates in Peru through an affiliate in Lima and maintains a sales force in Central America, covering Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.[11][12]
Products
OM Pharma’s products include:
- Broncho-Vaxom (OM-85) indicated for the prevention of recurrent respiratory tract infections.[13][14] With continued research on asthma prevention in high-risk infants[15]
- Uro-Vaxom (OM-89) indicated for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections [16]
- Doxium (calcium dobesilate) indicated in treatment of microangiopathies, signs of chronic venous insufficiencies in the lower limbs, diabetic retinopathy and hemorrhoidal syndrome[17][18]
- Dicynone (etamsylate) indicated in the treatment of capillary hemorrhages [19]