Sigma-Tau
Encyclopedia
Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite, referred to as Sigma-Tau, emerges in 1957 from the entrepreneurial initiative of research chemist Claudio Cavazza
. During a period in which multinational companies were consolidating their hegemony in the pharmaceutical sector, Claudio Cavazza conceived the idea of an industrial structure in Italy
, capable of permanently competing in terms of production while at the same time bringing innovation to the field of research and pharmaceutical experimentation.
Construction began in 1964 of an industrial facility in Pomezia
equipped with state-of-the-art automatic production machinery to provide steady employment for 64 people. The choice of Pomezia for its headquarters created one of the first industrialization and urban development initiatives in an area of Central-southern Italy that had previously been mainly devoted to agriculture. With the creation and launch of the Rekord B12 vitamin complex in September 1966 – an antiasthenic medicine that soon spread within the field of restorative infantile therapies – Sigma-Tau definitively asserted itself as a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Italy
and abroad, and entered into the Italian imagination. So much so that it entered into the collective memory of those growing up at the beginning of the 1970s.
of an Orphan Drug Designation, subsequently receiving another seven.
With the discovery in the 1970s of carnitine deficiency syndrome, an illness with a fatal outcome, Sigma-Tau focused the investigative efforts of its laboratories on research into a molecule capable of opposing the disease. This was to bring about the creation of L-carnitine, one of the few Italian pharmaceutical products widely received outside Italy, and which was recognized by the United States
in 1984 for its value as a life saving medicine. The chemical and biologic pharmacology study of carnitine
, a substance of natural origin, enabled greater understanding of its efficacy in correcting the biochemical and metabolic defects at the base of numerous other pathologies.
Fondazione Sigma-Tau
was created in 1986 as a charitable organization
with the aim of developing research, promoting scientific and cultural progress and the safeguarding of the results of scientific investigation.
With production plants in Spain
and the United States, in 2009, Sigma-Tau group was employing 2,441 staff, including over 400 researchers involved in the most advanced sectors of national and international research, in which it reinvests 16% of its turnover.
In 2009, Sigma-Tau group achieved a turnover of 616 million euros, with 2,441 employees and a portfolio of around 150 products marketed in Italy and abroad. Since 1998 it has registered around 300 patents, confirming its status as one of the largest Italian firms with a wholly Italian-owned capital, and a major player in the registration of new molecules and important technological innovations.
Sigma-Tau group is present worldwide with branches in France
, Switzerland
, Holland, Belgium
, Portugal
, Germany
, United Kingdom
and India
, as well as manufacturing plants in the United States
and Spain
.
Sigma-Tau’s future lies in the ability to expand its presence in the international scene, mainly through the activation of research collaborations with numerous scientific institutions in America
, Europe
and Asia
.
This is the background that in January 2010 brought Sigma-Tau group to acquire the pharmaceutical manufacturing arm of American company Enzon, and more precisely four products for the cure of rare diseases within the field of oncology and the production plant of Indianapolis
in Indiana
. This was directly taken over by the Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals Inc. American branch, with its headquarters at Gaithersburg in Maryland
, which is responsible for marketing products acquired on the American market.
With continuing commitment, Sigma-Tau became the fourth assignee in the world to obtain an Orphan Drug Designation in the United States
in 1984, followed by a further seven. Five new designations have subsequently been requested from the European authorities.
On average Sigma-Tau invests 16% of its turnover in research and development, with the help of a team of around 400 researchers currently employed in a continual research pipeline, and between pre-clinical and clinical development, using 24 different molecules, largely (11) new and original and 16 belonging to Sigma-Tau group.
Areas of research are focused particularly on the areas of oncology and immunology, not forgetting the experience and expertise within the cardiovascular, nervous system
, and metabolic diseases sectors. Much attention is also reserved for conditions that are rare, neglected and/or with high social impact.
To this end, Sigma-Tau in collaboration with the non-profit organization Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)
has developed a new medicine for the treatment of malaria a fixed combination consisting of dihydroartemisinin
and piperaquine
, judged to be one of the most effective antimalaria medicines available and the best combination containing artemisinin
. The registration dossier was presented on July 3, 2009 in Europe
(EMEA
).
Founded in 1982 and active both in the pharmaceutical market and that of consumer products sold in pharmacies. Avantgarde has developed its business within the dermatological, gynaecological and paediatric sectors; for consumer products the focus is geared to dermocosmetic sector and to oral hygiene
with OTC
products.
Established in 1979 as part of Sigma-Tau group, Biosint is the global leader in the production of L-carnitine obtained by chemical synthesis. Since 1995 its production process is the only to have been awarded approval fby U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), having obtained certification for its DASA-ZERT quality system.
Biofutura was founded in 2001 with the objective of developing pharmaceutical products in the cure of diseases of the central nervous system
and respiratory system
. Activity also spread to the development and marketing of products derived from the carnitine
biological system.
Responsible for the research and development of substances active on important areas of treatment including oncology and immunology and on diseases that are rare, neglected and with high social impact.
Aimed at the study of innovative approaches to therapy for the treatment of important diseases of the cardiovascular system including hypertension
and cardiac insufficiency.
A biotechnological research company in the pharmaceutical field authorized to produce monoclonal antibodies
and recombinant proteins for use in clinical trials.
Responsible for the clinical development of Sigma-Tau products in the United States.
A recently established research centre that co-ordinates research and development activity relating to selected products and provides clinical development and chemical analytical expertise.
Over the years Sigma-Tau has formed collaborations both with humanitarian organizations with activities abroad and firms working in Italy, helping to achieve important projects. Furthermore, in response to needs arising from conflict and post-conflict crises and the aftermath of natural disasters, Sigma-Tau provides international co-operation organizations with medicines destined for developing countries.
In 1986 the board of Sigma-Tau created a foundation with the aim of promoting and disseminating scientific culture and safeguarding the results of research.
Open-ended contracts are offered to 99% of employees, in testimony to the policy operated by the company to create stable and lasting relations with its workforce. This aspect is also reflected in the period of employment of staff, which averages around 17 years, highlighting the bond of loyalty and trust formed between the company and its staff.
In 1967 Sigma-Tau became equipped with a water conditioning plant. Since 2005, the commitment to reduce impact on the environment in the elimination of solvents in aid of water in many preparations has produced continuing reduction in CO2 emissions that have fallen from 5,932 tons to 5,587 in 2007. Since 2007, Sigma-Tau has begun waste sorting and choosing eco-compatible materials. In the same year, in which Sigma-Tau’s environmental costs amounted to around 600,000 euros, a reduction of 8% in the quantity of industrial wastewater was confirmed.
At international level, Sigma-Tau:
At national level:
and Tau
are the two stars that flank Antares
at the centre of the Scorpius constellation. Arabs considered the red ntareshe heart of the constellation and therefore regarded the bright stars positioned beside it – Sigma Scorpii
and Tau Scorpii
– as the arteries leading away from the heart, as indicated by the term that describes them both (Al Niyat, meaning the arteries).
Claudio Cavazza
Claudio Cavazza is an Italian entrepreneur, Chairman and founder of the Sigma-Tau pharmaceutical company.-History:...
. During a period in which multinational companies were consolidating their hegemony in the pharmaceutical sector, Claudio Cavazza conceived the idea of an industrial structure in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, capable of permanently competing in terms of production while at the same time bringing innovation to the field of research and pharmaceutical experimentation.
Construction began in 1964 of an industrial facility in Pomezia
Pomezia
Pomezia is a municipality in the province of Rome, Lazio, central Italy. In 2009 it had a population of about 60,000.-History:The town was built entirely new near the location of ancient Lavinium on land resulting from the final reclamation of the Pontine Marshes under Benito Mussolini, being...
equipped with state-of-the-art automatic production machinery to provide steady employment for 64 people. The choice of Pomezia for its headquarters created one of the first industrialization and urban development initiatives in an area of Central-southern Italy that had previously been mainly devoted to agriculture. With the creation and launch of the Rekord B12 vitamin complex in September 1966 – an antiasthenic medicine that soon spread within the field of restorative infantile therapies – Sigma-Tau definitively asserted itself as a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and abroad, and entered into the Italian imagination. So much so that it entered into the collective memory of those growing up at the beginning of the 1970s.
From the 1970s to today
From the 1970s onwards, Sigma-Tau focused on experimenting with new medicines for rare diseases – a commitment that in 1984 would cause it to become the fourth largest pharmaceutical company in the world and assignee in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of an Orphan Drug Designation, subsequently receiving another seven.
With the discovery in the 1970s of carnitine deficiency syndrome, an illness with a fatal outcome, Sigma-Tau focused the investigative efforts of its laboratories on research into a molecule capable of opposing the disease. This was to bring about the creation of L-carnitine, one of the few Italian pharmaceutical products widely received outside Italy, and which was recognized by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1984 for its value as a life saving medicine. The chemical and biologic pharmacology study of carnitine
Carnitine
Carnitine is a quaternary ammonium compound biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine. In living cells, it is required for the transport of fatty acids from the cytosol into the mitochondria during the breakdown of lipids for the generation of metabolic energy. It is widely...
, a substance of natural origin, enabled greater understanding of its efficacy in correcting the biochemical and metabolic defects at the base of numerous other pathologies.
Fondazione Sigma-Tau
Fondazione Sigma-Tau
-Aims:Fondazione Sigma-Tau is an institution that aims to promote and share scientific knowledge and interdisciplinary dialogue between branches of learning. It was created as a charitable organization and is recognized by law with Presidential Decree No. 648 of 4 August 1986...
was created in 1986 as a charitable organization
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
with the aim of developing research, promoting scientific and cultural progress and the safeguarding of the results of scientific investigation.
With production plants in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the United States, in 2009, Sigma-Tau group was employing 2,441 staff, including over 400 researchers involved in the most advanced sectors of national and international research, in which it reinvests 16% of its turnover.
Structure of Sigma-Tau group
Sigma-Tau is the main element of a group in which other companies operate, in accordance with the prospects of the corporate development plan.In 2009, Sigma-Tau group achieved a turnover of 616 million euros, with 2,441 employees and a portfolio of around 150 products marketed in Italy and abroad. Since 1998 it has registered around 300 patents, confirming its status as one of the largest Italian firms with a wholly Italian-owned capital, and a major player in the registration of new molecules and important technological innovations.
Sigma-Tau group is present worldwide with branches in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Holland, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, 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...
, 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...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, as well as manufacturing plants in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Sigma-Tau’s future lies in the ability to expand its presence in the international scene, mainly through the activation of research collaborations with numerous scientific institutions in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
This is the background that in January 2010 brought Sigma-Tau group to acquire the pharmaceutical manufacturing arm of American company Enzon, and more precisely four products for the cure of rare diseases within the field of oncology and the production plant of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. This was directly taken over by the Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals Inc. American branch, with its headquarters at Gaithersburg in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, which is responsible for marketing products acquired on the American market.
With continuing commitment, Sigma-Tau became the fourth assignee in the world to obtain an Orphan Drug Designation in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1984, followed by a further seven. Five new designations have subsequently been requested from the European authorities.
On average Sigma-Tau invests 16% of its turnover in research and development, with the help of a team of around 400 researchers currently employed in a continual research pipeline, and between pre-clinical and clinical development, using 24 different molecules, largely (11) new and original and 16 belonging to Sigma-Tau group.
Areas of research are focused particularly on the areas of oncology and immunology, not forgetting the experience and expertise within the cardiovascular, nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
, and metabolic diseases sectors. Much attention is also reserved for conditions that are rare, neglected and/or with high social impact.
To this end, Sigma-Tau in collaboration with the non-profit organization Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)
Medicines for Malaria Venture , a not-for-profit public-private partnership, was established as a foundation in Switzerland in 1999. Its mission is to reduce the burden of malaria in disease-endemic countries by discovering, developing and facilitating delivery of new, effective and affordable...
has developed a new medicine for the treatment of malaria a fixed combination consisting of dihydroartemisinin
Dihydroartemisinin
Dihydroartemisinin is a drug used to treat malaria. Dihydroartemisinin is the active metabolite of all artemisinin compounds and is also available as a drug in itself...
and piperaquine
Piperaquine
Piperaquine is an antimalarial drug, a bisquinoline first synthesised in the 1960s, and used extensively in China and Indochina as prophylaxis and treatment during the next 20 years. Usage declined in the 1980s as piperaquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum arose and artemisinin-based...
, judged to be one of the most effective antimalaria medicines available and the best combination containing artemisinin
Artemisinin
Artemisinin , also known as Qinghaosu , and its derivatives are a group of drugs that possess the most rapid action of all current drugs against falciparum malaria. Treatments containing an artemisinin derivative are now standard treatment worldwide for falciparum malaria...
. The registration dossier was presented on July 3, 2009 in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(EMEA
EMEA
EMEA may stand for:* the previous acronym of the European Medicines Agency, an EU regulatory agency for the evaluation of medicinal products* Europe, the Middle East and Africa...
).
- Avantgarde - Pomezia
Founded in 1982 and active both in the pharmaceutical market and that of consumer products sold in pharmacies. Avantgarde has developed its business within the dermatological, gynaecological and paediatric sectors; for consumer products the focus is geared to dermocosmetic sector and to oral hygiene
Oral hygiene
Teeth cleaning is part of oral hygiene and involves the removal of dental plaque from teeth with the intention of preventing cavities , gingivitis, and periodontal disease. People routinely clean their own teeth by brushing and interdental cleaning, and dental hygienists can remove hardened...
with OTC
OTC
OTC may refer to:* Oakwood Technology College* Owatonna Tool Company* Oklahoma Tax Commission* Odenton Town Center* Officer in Tactical Command* Officer Training Corps* Offshore Technology Conference* Ohio Turnpike Commission...
products.
- Biosint - Sermoneta
Established in 1979 as part of Sigma-Tau group, Biosint is the global leader in the production of L-carnitine obtained by chemical synthesis. Since 1995 its production process is the only to have been awarded approval fby U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA), having obtained certification for its DASA-ZERT quality system.
- Biofutura - Milan
Biofutura was founded in 2001 with the objective of developing pharmaceutical products in the cure of diseases of the central nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
and respiratory system
Respiratory system
The respiratory system is the anatomical system of an organism that introduces respiratory gases to the interior and performs gas exchange. In humans and other mammals, the anatomical features of the respiratory system include airways, lungs, and the respiratory muscles...
. Activity also spread to the development and marketing of products derived from the carnitine
Carnitine
Carnitine is a quaternary ammonium compound biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine. In living cells, it is required for the transport of fatty acids from the cytosol into the mitochondria during the breakdown of lipids for the generation of metabolic energy. It is widely...
biological system.
- Research Centre - Pomezia
Responsible for the research and development of substances active on important areas of treatment including oncology and immunology and on diseases that are rare, neglected and with high social impact.
- Prassis Research Institute - Settimo Milanese
Aimed at the study of innovative approaches to therapy for the treatment of important diseases of the cardiovascular system including hypertension
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
and cardiac insufficiency.
- Tecnogen - Piana di Monte Verna, Caserta
A biotechnological research company in the pharmaceutical field authorized to produce monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies are monospecific antibodies that are the same because they are made by identical immune cells that are all clones of a unique parent cell....
and recombinant proteins for use in clinical trials.
- Sigma-Tau Research Inc. - Gaithersburg, USA
Responsible for the clinical development of Sigma-Tau products in the United States.
- Sigma-Tau Research Switzerland - Mendrisio, CH
A recently established research centre that co-ordinates research and development activity relating to selected products and provides clinical development and chemical analytical expertise.
Over the years Sigma-Tau has formed collaborations both with humanitarian organizations with activities abroad and firms working in Italy, helping to achieve important projects. Furthermore, in response to needs arising from conflict and post-conflict crises and the aftermath of natural disasters, Sigma-Tau provides international co-operation organizations with medicines destined for developing countries.
In 1986 the board of Sigma-Tau created a foundation with the aim of promoting and disseminating scientific culture and safeguarding the results of research.
Social and environmental responsibilities
In virtue of the particular nature and social importance of the industrial sector in which it operates, Sigma-Tau considers it fundamentally important to act in absolute respect of ethical principles and existing legislation, and make every effort to reach the highest quality standards. To this end, in 2002 Sigma-Tau adopted a Code of Ethics that clearly defines the behavioural rules and ethical principles that must be adhered to by everyone – employees, consultants, suppliers, clients and stakeholders alike.Open-ended contracts are offered to 99% of employees, in testimony to the policy operated by the company to create stable and lasting relations with its workforce. This aspect is also reflected in the period of employment of staff, which averages around 17 years, highlighting the bond of loyalty and trust formed between the company and its staff.
In 1967 Sigma-Tau became equipped with a water conditioning plant. Since 2005, the commitment to reduce impact on the environment in the elimination of solvents in aid of water in many preparations has produced continuing reduction in CO2 emissions that have fallen from 5,932 tons to 5,587 in 2007. Since 2007, Sigma-Tau has begun waste sorting and choosing eco-compatible materials. In the same year, in which Sigma-Tau’s environmental costs amounted to around 600,000 euros, a reduction of 8% in the quantity of industrial wastewater was confirmed.
Humanitarian commitment
Over the years, Sigma-Tau has developed numerous partnerships, formed with associations and bodies engaged – at national and international level – in projects and activities with a social emphasis, with particular focus on the areas of health and social welfare. The company also provides its medicines free-of-charge to around 40 national and international organizations operating in conflict and post-conflict contexts to support those people stricken by natural disasters and famine.At international level, Sigma-Tau:
- supports the activities of Unicef and VanaprasthaVanaprasthaA Vanaprastha is a person who is living in the forest as a hermit after partially giving up material desires. Vanaprastha ashram is the stage of life in the Vedic ashram system, when a person one gradually withdraws from the world...
, a non-profit organization responsible for educational and medical assistance in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, with programs mainly geared towards childcare; - collaborates with Medicine for Malaria Venture (MMV)), an association supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the development of one of the most efficient antimalaria medicines available, a fixed combination consisting of dihydroartemisininDihydroartemisininDihydroartemisinin is a drug used to treat malaria. Dihydroartemisinin is the active metabolite of all artemisinin compounds and is also available as a drug in itself...
and piperaquinePiperaquinePiperaquine is an antimalarial drug, a bisquinoline first synthesised in the 1960s, and used extensively in China and Indochina as prophylaxis and treatment during the next 20 years. Usage declined in the 1980s as piperaquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum arose and artemisinin-based...
judged to be the best combination containing artemisininArtemisininArtemisinin , also known as Qinghaosu , and its derivatives are a group of drugs that possess the most rapid action of all current drugs against falciparum malaria. Treatments containing an artemisinin derivative are now standard treatment worldwide for falciparum malaria...
, partly due to the low incidence of side effects; - supports Panecioccolata, a non-profit organization operating in SenegalSenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, in contributing towards the construction of a facility for 40 children whose families face particularly destitute conditions; - collaborates with the Italian branch of non-profit organization World Centers of Compassion for Children, chaired by Nobel prize-winner for peace, Betty Williams who promotes the culture of peace and the safeguarding of the rights of children throughout the world, through awareness and information activities;
- promoted the Together for Africa project, within the scope of which it supported AMREF (African Medical and Research Foundation) in implementing a healthcare program in northern UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, the area most affected by the civil war of the 1990s, with the aim of vaccinating over 3,000 children against the most widespread diseases (tuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, diphtheriaDiphtheriaDiphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity...
, whooping cough, tetanusTetanusTetanus is a medical condition characterized by a prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers. The primary symptoms are caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by the Gram-positive, rod-shaped, obligate anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani...
, polio, hepatitis B, Haemophilus Influenzae B, and measlesMeaslesMeasles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
) and at the same time training local healthcare workers.
At national level:
- supports various patients’ associations, including l’AGOP (Associazione Genitori Oncologia Pediatrica – Parents’ Association of Paediatric Oncology), based at the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic in RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, which fosters scientific research in the field of paediatric oncology and provides global assistance to sick children and their families; - together with AISLA (Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica – Italian Association of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) participates in the support of the goals of the association, above all in increasing public awareness of the problems connected to ALSALSALS refers to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's diseaseIt may also refer to:-Medicine:* Advanced life support, a level of medical training* Anterolateral system, part of the nervous system...
; - has for many years supported Destinazione Domani, the popular science journal by AIL, Associazione Italiana contro le Leuecemie, Linfomi e Mieloma – the Italian Association Against Leukaemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma non-profit organization;
- supports the institutional activities of the Camminare con il Diabete non-profit diabetes association and PerLa - Associazione per l’Andrologia association for andrology;
- participates in a program of solidarity to support with Associazione Dynamo Camp, each year hosting around 1,000 children affected by serious and chronic diseases from hospitals throughout ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and abroad for free, at the Cesto del Lupo oasis – a park located in the WWFWorld Wide Fund for NatureThe World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
nature reserve in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine Mountains. The association works in partnership with the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps which has created 11 structures from the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, supporting similar programs in AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the rest of the world; - collaborates in providing information through Vita, the non-profit weekly magazine which aims to encourage the culture of solidarity and social responsibility, providing its readers with up-to-date, independent analysis of the voluntary sector.
Name
SigmaSigma
Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, and carries the 'S' sound. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 200. When used at the end of a word, and the word is not all upper case, the final form is used, e.g...
and Tau
Tau
Tau is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 300.The name in English is pronounced , but in modern Greek it is...
are the two stars that flank Antares
Antares
Antares is a red supergiant star in the Milky Way galaxy and the sixteenth brightest star in the nighttime sky . Along with Aldebaran, Spica, and Regulus it is one of the four brightest stars near the ecliptic...
at the centre of the Scorpius constellation. Arabs considered the red ntareshe heart of the constellation and therefore regarded the bright stars positioned beside it – Sigma Scorpii
Sigma Scorpii
Sigma Scorpii is a star system in the constellation Scorpius. It has the traditional name Al Niyat, although this name is sometimes also applied to Tau Scorpii, or to the asterism formed by both Sigma and Tau. Sigma Scorpii is 735 light years from the Sun.The primary component of the system,...
and Tau Scorpii
Tau Scorpii
Tau Scorpii is a star in the constellation Scorpius. Tau Scorpii also has the traditional name Alniyat or Al Niyat, which it shares with σ Scorpii. The name derives from the Arabic النياط an-niyāţ meaning "the arteries"....
– as the arteries leading away from the heart, as indicated by the term that describes them both (Al Niyat, meaning the arteries).