Bluepharma
Encyclopedia
Bluepharma is a pharmaceutical company
of Portuguese
ownership, which is located in Coimbra
, Portugal
.
multinational company made a business decision to consolidate production at its headquarters in Germany
. Bayer announced plans to sell the Coimbra manufacturing site by advertising in an international magazine. Paulo Barradas Rebelo, who had gained management and business skills and experience in logistics from a background as Chief Executive Officer
of a major wholesaler and distribution company to about 500 pharmacy units within a co-operative, read about the planned sale. He contacted Sérgio Simões, who worked in research locally as a professor at the University of Coimbra. The two men, with Isolina Mesquita who was plant manager for Bayer's Coimbra site, decided they would set up a new company, Bluepharma, with the aim of acquiring the Bayer plant and developing it as an integrated contract manufacturing business. The new company took the responsibility for all former Bayer employees, so the German work culture is still present in Bluepharma.
Its buildings occupy about 14,000 sq m at several levels on a land area of 18,700 sq m. The buildings have had several improvements, the most significant being in 1989, when the site was still owned by Bayer, and in 1998. During the first half of the 2000s, the company built a laboratory between the two main buildings to do more research and development work.
Bluepharma has clients in Portugal, France, Germany and in the UK, among others. One of Bluepharma's main clients is Bayer to which the Portuguese company produced around 3.5 million units in 2004. Other clients include renowned pharmaceuticals brands and companies such as Teva, Ivax, Arrow, EG LABO (Stada), Bexal (Hexal), Mepha (Ratiopharm
) and Ciclum (Grünenthal
).
Most Bluepharma's employees have academic degrees and many have post-graduate degrees (MSc and PhDs) as well.
The commercial department began activities in October 2003.
field and is developing generics to some of the most important companies worldwide.
Pharmaceutical company
The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic and/or brand medications and medical devices...
of Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
ownership, which is located in Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
History
Bluepharma's production plant was acquired from Bayer AG when, at the end of the 1990s, the GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
multinational company made a business decision to consolidate production at its headquarters in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Bayer announced plans to sell the Coimbra manufacturing site by advertising in an international magazine. Paulo Barradas Rebelo, who had gained management and business skills and experience in logistics from a background as Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of a major wholesaler and distribution company to about 500 pharmacy units within a co-operative, read about the planned sale. He contacted Sérgio Simões, who worked in research locally as a professor at the University of Coimbra. The two men, with Isolina Mesquita who was plant manager for Bayer's Coimbra site, decided they would set up a new company, Bluepharma, with the aim of acquiring the Bayer plant and developing it as an integrated contract manufacturing business. The new company took the responsibility for all former Bayer employees, so the German work culture is still present in Bluepharma.
Its buildings occupy about 14,000 sq m at several levels on a land area of 18,700 sq m. The buildings have had several improvements, the most significant being in 1989, when the site was still owned by Bayer, and in 1998. During the first half of the 2000s, the company built a laboratory between the two main buildings to do more research and development work.
Business
Bluepharma develops its activity on the following areas:- Contract-manufacturing
- BiopharmaceuticalBiopharmaceuticalBiopharmaceuticals are medical drugs produced using biotechnology. They include proteins , nucleic acids and living microorganisms like virus and bacteria where the virulence of viruses and bacteria is reduced by the process of attenuation, they can be used for therapeutic or in vivo diagnostic...
s - R&D
- Commerce of genericsGeneric drugA generic drug is a drug defined as "a drug product that is comparable to brand/reference listed drug product in dosage form, strength, route of administration, quality and performance characteristics, and intended use." It has also been defined as a term referring to any drug marketed under its...
in Portugal
Bluepharma has clients in Portugal, France, Germany and in the UK, among others. One of Bluepharma's main clients is Bayer to which the Portuguese company produced around 3.5 million units in 2004. Other clients include renowned pharmaceuticals brands and companies such as Teva, Ivax, Arrow, EG LABO (Stada), Bexal (Hexal), Mepha (Ratiopharm
Ratiopharm
Ratiopharm is a German pharmaceutical company that is Europe's leading generics brand.Ratiopharm was owned by Adolf Merckle and makes generic Pharmaceuticals. They are based in Ulm, Germany and products being distributed in over 35 countries worldwide....
) and Ciclum (Grünenthal
Grünenthal
Grünenthal GmbH is a German pharmaceutical company in Stolberg near Aachen, which holds the patent to Ultram , and its much stronger derivative Nucynta , both used as analgesics with Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibition...
).
Most Bluepharma's employees have academic degrees and many have post-graduate degrees (MSc and PhDs) as well.
The commercial department began activities in October 2003.
Research & Development
In the R&D area, Bluepharma has research projects in the biotechnologyBiotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
field and is developing generics to some of the most important companies worldwide.