Janssen Pharmaceuticals
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Janssen Pharmaceutica is pharmaceutical company, established in Belgium in 1953 by Paul Janssen. Its headquarters are located in Beerse, in the Campine region of the province of Antwerp, Belgium. It was created not as a subsidiary of a chemical factory but solely with the aim of conducting pharmacological research. The company's stated aim is the continuous development of better drugs to improve the quality of life. In 1961 Janssen Pharmaceutica was purchased by Johnson & Johnson corporation and is now part of the company's worldwide research and development centre, the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development (J&J PRD) which conducts research and development activities related to a wide range of human medical disorders, including mental illness, neurological disorders, anaesthesia and analgesia, gastrointestinal disorders, fungal infection, allergies and cancer. Janssen and Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical have been placed in the Ortho-McNeil-Janssen group within Johnson & Johnson. Its Chairman and Managing Director is the baron Ajit Shetty.
History
The early roots of what would become Janssen Pharmaceutica date back to 1933. In 1933 Constant Janssen, the father of Paul Janssen, acquired the right to distribute the pharmaceutical products of Richter, a Hungarian pharmaceutical company, for Belgium, the Netherlands and Belgian Congo. On 23 October 1934, he founded the N.V. Produkten Richter in Turnhout. In 1937 Constant Janssen acquired an old factory building in the Statiestraat 78 in Turnhout for his growing company, which he expanded during World War II into a four-storey building. Still a student, Paul Janssen assisted in the development of Perdolan. After the war, the name for the company products was changed in Eupharma, although the company name Richter would remain until 1956.
Paul Janssen founded his own research laboratory in 1953 on the third floor of the building in the Statiestraat, still within the Richter-Eurpharma company of his father. In 1955, he and his team developed their first drug: Neomeritine (ambucetamide), an antispasmodic found to be particularly effective for the relief of menstrual pain. On 5 April 1956, the name of the company was changed to NV Laboratoria Pharmaceutica C. Janssen (named after Constant Janssen). On 27 April 1957, the company opened a new research facility in Beerse, but the move to Beerse would not be completed until 1971-1972. On 2 May 1958, the research department in Beerse became a separate legal entity, the N.V. Research Laboratorium C. Janssen.
On 24 October 1961, the company was acquired by the American corporation Johnson & Johnson. The negotiations with Johnson & Johnson were led by Frans Van den Bergh, head of the Board of Directors. On 10 February 1964, the name was changed to Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. and the seat of the company in Turnhout was also transferred to Beerse. The company was led by Paul Janssen, Bob Stouthuysen and Frans Van Den Bergh. When, in 1971-1972 the pharmaceutical production also moved to Beerse, the move from Turnhout was completed. Between 1990 and 2004, Janssen Pharmaceutica expanded worldwide, and the company grew in size to about 28000 employees worldwide. 4600 of these were based in Belgium.[citation needed]
From the beginning, Janssen Pharmaceutica emphasized as its core activity research for the development of new drugs. The research department which was established in Beerse in 1957, developed into a large research campus. In 1987, the Janssen Research Foundation (JRF) was founded which performs research into new drugs at Beerse and in other laboratories around the globe. Janssen Pharmaceutica became the Flemish company with the largest budget for research and development. Beside the headquarters in Beerse with its research departments, pharmaceutical production and the administrative departments, Janssen Pharmaceutica in Belgium still has offices in Berchem (Janssen-Cilag), a chemical factory in Geel, and Janssen Biotech in Olen.
The Chemical Production plant in Geel, makes the active ingredients for the company’s medicines. In 1975, the first plant of a new chemical factory Plant I was established in Geel, Plant II was opened in 1977, Plant III' in 1984, and Plant IV in 1995. In 1999 the remaining chemical production in Beerse was transferred to Geel. About 80% of its active components are manufactured here. The site in Geel also manufactures about two-thirds of the worldwide chemical production of the pharmaceutical sector of Johnson & Johnson. In 1995, the Center for Molecular Design (CMD) was founded by Paul Janssen and Paul Lewi.
In 1999, clinical research and non-clinical development become a global organization within Johnson & Johnson. In 2001, part of the research activities was transferred to the United States with the reorganization of research activities in the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Development (JJPRD) organization. The research activities of the Janssen Research Foundation (JRF) and the R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute (PRI) (United States) were merged into the new global research organization. A new building for pharmaceutical development was completed in Beerse in 2001. In 2002, a new logistics and informatics centre was opened at a new site, Beerse 2. In 2003 two new research buildings were constructed, the Discovery Research Center (DRC), and the Drug Safety Evaluation Center (DSEC). On 27 October 2004, the Paul Janssen Research Center, for discovery research, was inaugurated.
The success of Janssen Pharmaceutica is commonly attributed to the vision of its founder, who himself was a brilliant scientist, but was also surrounded by talented and motivated employees, both scientifically and commercially. Paul Janssen created an environment which stimulated the creativity of his research workers.[1]
Janssen Pharmaceutica in China
In 1985, Janssen Pharmaceutica was the first Western pharmaceutical company to set up a pharmaceutical factory in the People's Republic of China (Xi'an). Already in 1983, Janssen had signed a cooperation contract to modernise products in an existing, but old, chemical factory in Hanzhong (in the province Shaanxi) and to produce the active compound of some Janssen products, such as mebendazole. Paul Appermont and Joos Horsten were responsible for the project.
In 1976 Paul Janssen had met the Lebanese-American doctor George Shafik Hatem (1912–1988) who was known in China under the name Ma Haide. Paul Janssen met with Ma Haide for three days in 1976, and decided to start a business in China right after the Cultural Revolution (1967–1976) and the opening to the west by Deng Xiaoping in 1978. The first factory was set up by Joos Horsten in Hanzhong, after which the second and larger factory followed in Xi'an.
Some drugs developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica
R-code | Name | Brandname | Synthetized | Marketed |
R5 | ambucetamide | Neomeritine | 1953 | 1955 |
R79 | isopropamide iodide | Priamide-Janssen | 1954 | 1955 |
R253 | diisopromine | Bilagol | 1955 | 1956 |
R516 | cinnarizine | Stugeron | 1955 | 1958 |
R875 | dextromoramide | Palfium | 1955 | 1957 |
R1132 | diphenoxylate | Reasec | 1956 | 1960 |
R1625 | haloperidol | Haldol | 1958 | 1959 |
R2498 | trifluperidol | Triperidol | 1959 | 1961 |
R3345 | pipamperone | Dipiperon | 1960 | 1961 |
R3365 | piritramide | Dipidolor | 1960 | 1967 |
R4263 | fentanyl[2][3] | Fentanyl | 1960 | 1963 |
R4584 | benperidol | Frenactyl | 1961 | 1965 |
R4749 | droperidol[4] | Dehydrobenzperidol | 1961 | 1963 |
R4845 | bezitramide | Burgodin | 1961 | 1971 |
R6218 | fluspirilene | Imap | 1963 | 1971 |
R6238 | pimozide | Orap | 1963 | 1970 |
R7904 | lidoflazine | Clinium | 1964 | 1969 |
R11333 | bromperidol | Impromen | 1966 | 1981 |
R12564 | levamisole | Ergamisol | 1966 | 1969 |
R13672 | haloperidol decanoate | Haldol decanoas | 1967 | 1981 |
R14889 | miconazole nitrate | Daktarin | 1967 | 1971 |
R14950 | flunarizine | Sibelium | 1967 | 1977 |
R15889 | lorcainide | Remivox | 1968 | 1983 |
R16341 | penfluridol | Semap | 1968 | 1973 |
R16470 | dexetimide | Tremblex | 1968 | 1972 |
R16659 | etomidate[5][6] | Hypnomidate | 1964 | 1977 |
R17635 | mebendazole | Vermox | 1968 | 1972 |
R18553 | loperamide | Imodium | 1969 | 1973 |
R33800 | sufentanil[7] | Sufenta | 1974 | 1979 |
R33812 | domperidone | Motilium | 1974 | 1978 |
R35443 | oxatomide | Tinset | 1975 | 1981 |
R39209 | alfentanil[8][9] | Rapifen | 1976 | 1983 |
R33799 | carfentanil[10] | Wildnil | 1976 | 1980? |
R41400 | ketoconazole | Nizoral | 1976 | 1981 |
R43512 | astemizole | Hismanal | 1977 | 1983 |
R46541 | bromperidol decanoate | Impromen decanoas | 1978 | 1984 |
R49945 | ketanserin tartrate | Sufrexal | 1980 | 1987 |
R30490 or R32395 | lofentanil[11] | ? | 1980? | ? |
R50547 | levocabastine | Livostin | 1979 | 1989 |
R51211 | itraconazole | Sporanox | 1980 | 1986 |
R51619 | cisapride | Prepulsid | 1980 | 1989 |
R64766 | risperidone | Risperdal | 1984 | 1993 |
Janssen Pharmaceutica has developed and brought to the market about 70 new active substances (NCE), of which the most well-known are (name may differ):
- Imodium (against diarrhoea. Active substance: loperamide)
- Motilium (against flatulence — and bowel impairments. Active substance: domperidone)
- Reminyl (against Alzheimer's disease (dementia). Active substance: galantamine)
- Daktarin (against fungal infections. Active substance: miconazole)
- Nizoral (against dandruff, Active substance: ketoconazole)
- Durogesic (fentanyl patch for pain suppression. Active substance: fentanyl)
- Vermox (against worms. Active substance: mebendazole)
- Risperdal (antipsychotic, against mental illness such as schizophrenia. Active substance: risperidone)
Five drugs of Janssen Pharmaceutica have been included on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines:
- Haldol (haloperidol)
- Ergamisol (levamisole)
- Daktarin (miconazole)
- Vermox (mebendazole)
- Nizoral (ketoconazole) (on the WHO list until 2005)
R207910 is an experimental diarylquinoline anti-tuberculosis drug, discovered by Koen Andries and his team, which promises a shorter and simpler treatment for Tuberculosis (TB).
See also
- Didier de Chaffoy de Courcelles
- Paul Stoffels
- Staf Van Reet
- Jan Schuurkes
- Tibotec
- Virco
- Rega Institute for Medical Research
- Drug development
- Nanovid microscopy
- FlandersBio
- Joan Daemen
- List of companies of Belgium
- List of pharmaceutical companies
References
- ^ Lewi, Paul J., Successful Pharmaceutical Discovery: Paul Janssen's Concept of Drug Research, R&D Management, Vol. 37, Issue 4, pp. 355-362, September 2007
- ^ Janssen PAJ, Eddy NB (1960). "Compounds related to pethidine-IV new general chemical methods of increasing the analgesic activity of pethidine" (PDF). J Medicinal Pharma Chem. 2 (1): 31–45. doi:10.1021/jm50008a003. PMID 14406754. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ Janssen PAJ, Niemegeers CJE, Dony JGH (1963). "The inhibitory effect of fentanyl and other morphine like analgesics on the warm water induced tail withdrawal reflex in rats" (PDF). Arzneimittel-Forschung (Drug Research). 13: 502–7. ISSN 0004-4172. PMID 13957426. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Janssen PAJ, Niemegeers CJE, Schellekens KHL, Verbruggen FJ, Van Nueten JM (1963). "The pharmacology of dehydrobenzperidol, a new potent and short-acting neuroleptic agent chemically related to haloperidol". Arzneimittel-Forschung (Drug Research). 13: 205–11. ISSN 0004-4172. PMID 13957425.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Doenicke A, Kugler J, Penzel G, Laub M, Kalmar L, Kilian I, Bezecny H (1973). "[Cerebral Function under Etomidate, a New Non-Barbiturate I.V. Hypnotic]". Anaesthesist (in German). 22 (8): 353–66. ISSN 0003-2417. PMID 4584133. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Morgan M, Lumley J, Whitwam JG (1975). "Etomidate, a new water-soluble non-barbiturate intravenous induction agent". The Lancet. 305 (7913): 955–6. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(75)92011-5. PMID 48126. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Niemegeers CJE, Schellekens JHL, van Bever WFM, Janssen PAJ (1976). "Sufentanil, a very potent and extremely safe intravenous morphine-like compound in mice, rats and dogs". Arzneimittel-Forschung (Drug Research). 26 (8): 1551–6. ISSN 0004-4172. PMID 12772.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Spierdijk J, van Kleef J, Nauta J, Stanley TH, de Lange S (1980). "Alfentanil: a new narcotic induction agent". Anesthesiology. 53: S32.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Niemegeers CJE, Janssen PAJ (1981). "Alfentanil (R39209)-a particularly short acting intravenous narcotic analgesic in rats". Drug Development Research. 1: 830–8. ISSN 0272-4391.
- ^ De Vos V (1978). "Immobilisation of Free-ranging Wild Animals Using a New Drug". Veterinary Record. 103 (4): 64–8. doi:10.1136/vr.103.4.64. PMID 685103. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ Laduron PM, Janssen PF (1982). "Axoplasmic transport and possible recycling of opiate receptors labelled with 3H-lofentanil". Life Sciences. 31 (5): 457–62. doi:10.1016/0024-3205(82)90331-9. PMID 6182434. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
Source
- Magiels, Geerdt (2004). Paul Janssen – Pionier in farma en in China (in Dutch). Antwerp, Amsterdam: Houtekiet. ISBN 978-9-052-40827-9.
External links