The story of Grindeks started in 1946 at the Vitamin and Hormones Plant, which developed into vertically integrated pharmaceutical concern over the years.
The story of Grindeks started in 1946 at the Vitamin and Hormones Plant, which developed into vertically integrated pharmaceutical concern over the years.
In 1946 the Vitamin and Hormones Plant was transferred from the supervision of the Ministry of Food Production to that of the Latvian Academy of Sciences with the goal of gradually re-establishing it as an experimental plant.
Food concentrates, soy sauce, primrose syrup, beer yeast, microelement mixtures, etc – the plant’s product offering at that time bear very little resemblance to the one Grindeks manufactures today.
In 1972, the first co-operation contracts were signed with Japanese pharmaceutical companies Iskra Industry and Taiho Pharmaceutical in regard to the supply of the anti-cancer agent Ftorafur. Ftorafur spreads the fame of the plant worldwide and even today this drug is still one of the most exported products by Grindeks.
During the second half of the 1970’s, inventions from the molecular biology and microbiology laboratories were introduced into the manufacturing process, manufacturing technologies were improved and syntheses of new ingredients were mastered. The synthesis of Grindeks’ brand product Mildronate® was commenced.
During the first half of the 1980’s, research continued in the field of peptide chemistry, work was commenced on new groups of compounds in the search for potential ingredients for medical treatment and intensive work was carried out on psychopharmacological medicines. Several new groups of medicines were added to the range of medicines manufactured at the plant, including medicines for the treatment of cardiac and vascular diseases.
In 1985, the Riga Medicinal Medicines Plant was added to the Organic Synthesis Institute Experimental Plant. At the amalgamated plant, the technological research centre was expanded along with the organic synthesis laboratory, the technological processes modelling laboratory and the analysis and standardisation laboratory. OSI Deputy Director, Valdis Jākobsons (Chairman of the Board of JSC Grindeks until 2007), was appointed Manager of the amalgamated plant.
In the course of a few decades, the OSI Experimental Plant became one of the largest medicine research centres in the former USSR, at the same time also becoming the manufacturer of several groups of medicines. In the 1980’s, every fourth new medicinal drug in the former USSR was created by the LAS OSI and developed at its Experimental Plant. In total, more than 60 new medicines were created, of which 17 – were patented and original to the plant.
In 1991, along with the regaining of Latvian national independence, the Latvian State medicinal drug research and manufacturing company Grindeks was founded on the basis of the Experimental Plant. The name of the company emanates from the name of the first pharmacist, natural scientist, doctor and Professor of Chemistry of Latvian origin, Dāvids Hieronīms Grindelis.
In 1997, the company’s privatisation process was finished and the Public Joint Stock Company Grindeks was established. During the course of the privatisation process, Grindeks attracted more than 6,000 shareholders. In March 1998, Public Joint Stock Company Grindeks acquired a majority shareholding in the Tallinn Pharmaceutical Plant (55%). The quotation of Grindeks shares on the Riga Stock Exchange commenced on June 1, 1998.
In 2000, Grindeks received the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificate issued by the United Kingdom’s Medicine Control Agency. The receipt of this certificate certifies the compliance of the company’s tablet and capsule plant to the international requirements of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
On March 12, 2003, investments and systematic work on the modernisation and further development of the company allowed Grindeks to become the first in-house pharmaceutical manufacturer to receive the Good Manufacturing Practice Certificate from the Latvian State Agency of Medicines. With this certificate, the State has recognised that the quality of products manufactured by Grindeks conforms to global standards.
During 2001, Grindeks implements the principles of the ISO 9001:2000 quality standard. In September, the company received the International Environment Authority’s ISO 14001:1996 certificate and in November, the US Food and Drug Administration recognised the compliance of the manufacturing and control of the active ingredient oxitocine to international standards.
In caring for the protection of the surrounding environment and work safety, in 2002 the company signed up to the UN Global Compact and the global chemical industry’s Responsible Care programme.
